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http://www.omniture.com --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Obituaries Weather Archive Hot Topics Forum Photo Gallery Revels Etcetera Backpage O-Zone Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Online Games August 15, 2006 Ashland police to strategize By John Darling For The Tidings ASHLAND — Police would patrol the city in beats and retrain in the use of force under recommendations outlined in a study designed to help the department more effectively address crime and disorder in the community. "We've been wrestling with this for some time and I'm personally very supportive of it and I'm sure the council is, too," said Mayor John Morrison, upon the presentation Thursday of the $60,000 study, "Policing Ashland," by the Police Executive Research Forum of Washington, D.C. The report, read by PERF Director Craig Fraser, recommended the city immediately develop a "strategic vision" that integrates community policing with standard enforcement practices, so it can effectively handle its most pressing challenge — dealing with the homeless, the mentally ill and alienated youth on downtown streets. It suggests a community dialogue; formation of a task force to "reveal a unifying mission and vision"; the hiring three new police officers — one for each of three shifts; the hiring a school resource officer; and creation of eight beats in the city. The training of Ashland patrol officers should be enhanced in both problem-solving and traditional tactics — and officers should spend 70 percent of their time on self-initiated work, Fraser said. They should be "strategic partners (and) get to know people and the problems of their beat, know the resource-people there and who's living there part time and full time." While community policing has been disparaged as "hug and release" in Ashland's long debate over enforcement styles, interim police Chief Ron Goodpaster said it is "harder on crime, because it's us and the public working together to address issues, so we become aware of problems sooner." Councilman David Chapman said "it's not a file-and-forget report, and should have massive public input" as it is refined and adopted as city policy. "It's important that the new police chief embody the community policing concept," Councilman Russ Silbiger said. Councilman Alex Amarotico said, "Everyone is so comfortable with the vision, I don't think a lot of input is needed and I can't imagine it not being adopted." But Councilwoman Cate Hartzell said the public will "need education" on how they're expected to be partners to police because "if you leave every social problem to police, you're doing a disservice to yourself and the community." The final report follows the controversial departure this spring of police Chief Mike Bianca and community resource officer Jan Janssen, both proponents of community policing. Police union members last year issued a "no confidence" vote against Bianca. Janssen resigned because of the rehiring of an officer fired earlier for hazing new recruits. "The report suggests that the values of Bianca didn't get integrated and operational in management," said City Manager Martha Bennett, "and that training and discipline need to be revamped according to the values of community policing." Goodpaster said, "I agree completely. It never was adopted as the operational values of the organization. That could take years. The important thing is that it becomes the foundation." Community policing and traditional strategic methods are not mutually exclusive, Fraser said, and both should be marketed to the community and publicly rewarded. Training on use of force should be revised, he added, so that the chief is an observer, not a participant — and so that officers use stun devices and escalate through a continuum of nondeadly strategies, with guns as a last resort. Fraser faulted police on unclear discipline and poor communication. "The department needs to improve both internal and external communication," he said. "They were not listening to each other. They all need to be on the same page with a consistent message about where the department is going." Asked by Morrison how strong should police be on these social issues, Fraser responded, "They should be strategic partners, the lever that moves things forward," with supervisors observing and appraising police behavior "so everyone knows what's expected of them." Morrison directed Bennett to put community policing on a future council agenda for public feedback — and to advertise the police chief job within the framework of a community policing philosophy. The principles and analyses in the report are "great, but the implementation is not yet clear," said Bennett. She and Goodpaster will develop an action plan for its adoption — and the training of police according to community policing values, she said, "so they know what it is to do a good job." Those not able to adapt, she added, "will self-select out of the department." Hiring additional police is unlikely, Bennett noted, because of a large debt run up by the city-owned Ashland Fiber Network. The PERF report is at <www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=9289> on the Web. Current Comments: That last sentence sums it all up. We are closing schools, looking for ways to fund the fire dept., the police force, and educate our kids (most funding to rely on raising taxes on already overpriced housing) while we dawdle with, and continue to waste our funds on, a city operated cable system. Wow. What great priorities our town is embracing...perhaps this is an example of what is creating all of these "challenges" we are facing. todd - ashland, or - August 15th, 3:27 PM How much did that study again cost to tell us our police don't know how to do their job and need to be trained. Any job I have had if you can't do your job you have a job. I mean give me a break this is Ashland. Yesterday's police report said I taken to detox . I am still wondering if I missed who was lieing Bianci or Selby. Reoplacing the whole force sounds like a cheaper solution. Ann - ashland or - August 15th, 8:08 PM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Advertisement: Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.