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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us July 25, 2005 Ashland Police Rift: Is It Policy Or Philosophy? Getting personal Divided force draws residents into discussion By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings Ashland police officer Steve MacLennan , president of the Ashland Police Association, informs a man that camping is not allowed in Lithia Park after he was found sleeping in the park. Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings Two weeks after the Ashland Police Association made its concerns about Chief Mike Bianca public, the public debate has shifted from Bianca’s competence to the type of policing the residents want in Ashland. “The small group of officers serving under Chief Bianca calling for his resignation are good men. They have convictions, but they’re not Ashlanders,” said Randy Dolinger, a homeless man who has lived in the Ashland area for 16 years and is organizing a second rally to show the community’s support for Bianca. “They don’t even live in Ashland and they surely don’t understand Ashland.” E-mails, letters to the editor and a July 13 rally in the Plaza that drew more than 100 participants, have carried messages about community policing and employing peace, not police, officers. “These police officers can come to their senses and realize it’s OK to really care about your neighbor, or maybe they should find work elsewhere,” Dolinger said. The association’s grievances outlined four specific, policy-related concerns and did not discuss policing philosophies. What They’re Saying The following are excerpts from various e-mails sent on the Ashland Community Action listserv and to elected officials during the past two weeks: * The rhetoric surrounding the Ashland Police Association’s concerns with Chief Mike Bianca focuses largely on philosophy, and not the policy-centered issues officers raised in a July 10 letter to the mayor and city council. * It’s important not to create any more animosity and division than already exists, and not to name individuals. I prefer the emphasis to be on the kind of policing this community wants — community-based policing with respect and dignity for all. * Some of these officers actually hate the people who live in Ashland — calling them hippies, or rich and spoiled. ... A group of ugly officers ... want to play LAPD in our sweet little town, and don’t like Chief Bianca because “he does not support them.” Thank you Chief Bianca for not supporting them. * Any officers on the Ashland Police Force who are so wedded to a policing approach that this city and its police chief reject, that they cannot change, adapt and effectively function, should be separated from the force. They and this community will be better off for their leaving. * Moving forward from the pro-Bianca rally we propose seizing the initiative in this matter and challenging this city to fire the malcontents within our police force. The spineless corruption displayed by officer Steve MacLennan and his small group of “shoot first, ask questions later” cohorts must be called to task. * Police officers are allowed to have their grievances — it’s only healthy. We are lucky that they did so publicly, giving us the chance to show our support for Bianca. We are dealing with divergent “world views” within the police department (which is a microcosm of the world). We don’t have to make someone “wrong,” we just need to show that this community wants and demands the Bianca approach. I don’t want to participate in a witch hunt. City Administrator Gino Grimaldi said he “was not in a position to discuss” the tone of the public debate being seen in the community. City councilors were also reluctant to talk about the rhetoric surrounding the police association’s concerns. “My guess is they’re all policy issues, and there are some procedural issues,” Councilor Russ Silbiger said. “I certainly don’t think anybody on the city side — the issues the police brought forward are not being ignored.” “As far as I can tell, Gino and [Mayor John Morrison] are taking their complaints very seriously,” Councilor Jack Hardesty said. “When people come in and say something’s wrong, you can’t just dismiss it. That’s where you get in real trouble — if they’re legitimate issues, that they’re resolved.” Unsupported While councilors and city staff believe the association’s concerns are being taken seriously, police officers do not feel they’re receiving support comparable to what Bianca has seen. “I believe (the concerns) are being whitewashed right now,” Association President and APD patrol officer Steve MacLennan said. “They’re hiding things; things are being dragged out.” The city has not yet hired a consultant to work with the association and Bianca, although a mediator who is charged with improving communication between Bianca and his management team is on board. Meanwhile, the public support of Bianca has spurred a slew of verbal and written assaults of officers on the force. “I’m kind of hearing people are irritated,” MacLennan said, adding that the personal attacks frustrate him. “I’ve been in this town 30 years and people are going to say that stuff.” Initial e-mails attempting to generate interest in the rally planned for Friday suggested participants bring signs with messages targeting MacLennan or demanding the city “clean house at APD” or “fire the traitors.” “I don’t know about the debate, but I think it’s a communication problem between the chief and his department and it’s a pretty big jump from Chief Bianca’s former position to this one,” Councilor David Chapman said. “Maybe there needs to be some help for him to make the transition. ... On the other hand, I don’t believe in unconditional support (for the chief).” Although the tone of the rally has shifted to support for Bianca, the underlying feelings about those who don’t see eye-to-eye with the chief remain. “This is our town; we know one another,” said Dolinger, adding Bianca is a part of that picture. “It’s sad if it just doesn’t work out. They (the officers) have a different ethic. They have a different lifestyle.” Dolinger expects the rally, planned for Friday afternoon in Garfield Park following a 5 p.m. march from the Public Works building on Winburn Way, to attract several hundred people. The Ashland Police Association has no plans to respond to the public debate with their own protest. “We’re going to work,” MacLennan said. “We’re doing what we need to do to keep the peace and we’re trying to work with the city to get through these issues.” Homeless Ashland resident Randy Dolinger supports police Chief Mike Bianca’s approach to community enforcement, and worries that the troubles in the department stem from officers who would rather be able to use force more readily. Jennifer Squires | Ashland Daily Tidings Staff writer Jennifer Squires can be reached at 482-3456 x 3019 or [email protected]. 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