ABBOTT THE SCAPE GOAT

Way too much bad press recently about the PD. Makes the department look really bad. Even though most of it is news media hype and misinformation. Someone is going to take the fall and I feel like the Jerky City Manager will offer up the chief as the scape goat.
Bogus news stories need to be corrected. Duncan is doing what he can do, but he needs to give more information and BE the man with the real news and be the department's cheerleader.
Call the former PIO and get some tips. At least he would stick up for the department no matter what. If the department fails the upcoming formal review, then the Chief will most likely get the blame for that as well. He for sure will be history after that.
Bartollotta does not want to be made the fool anymore. Even though he is the main one.

The CIty Manager is completing the job that he was hired to accomplish. Cut the budget. He is being paid in excess of $40,000.00 to do that (one persons' yearly salary). But, he is doing what he is suppose to do.

As for Chief Abbott. He was hired to lead SPD. He is not doing his job as he has plainly chosen a select group to lead and the rest are pawns for those select few. I know this is common, but Chief Abbott was championed as being better than the run of the mill politician/leader. The Chief has turned police operations into a popularity contest with Captain Spitler. in the lead. Ask ex Chief Jolly, who mentored Spitler's rise at the SPD, how that paid off for him! No one comes away from Spitler unscathed.

SPD's Chief wants to pretend that he is part of some imaginary elite clique. He is playing cop and allowing egotistical personalities to run the police department, typically from the green lawn of the golf course. In other words, he is not and has not led SPD and the only persons who would rally him are the few that the Chief actually listens to. Statistically, I would estimate a mere 5% of SPD sworn personnel are heard by the Chief. The rest of his personnel meetings are for appearances.

So, if the city manager is doing his job and we don't like that job, then look squarely into the eyes of our city commission, his bosses. How many of those are police activists? None of them, but they allow Chief Abbott, Captain Spitler, and few golfing Lt's and Sgt's to run the department while SPD has fallen in rank to barely functioning. It use to be a place that employees were proud to work at and cops came into work with bruises, limping, sore muscles, whatever. They loved their job. Now, a splinter in a finger causes a cop to take a sick day, but don't blame the cop. Blame the leadership.

In the old days, SWAT would never have made an entry into a McDonalds' but Chief Abbott allowed it. He allows many life threatening tactics for the sake of an arrest. Another bean in the soup.

Your right about everything except,,,,the SWAT team was not at McDonalds,,that was the NARCS in the black hoods....but totally right on everything else....keep it up

Your right about everything except,,,,the SWAT team was not at McDonalds,,that was the NARCS in the black hoods....but totally right on everything else....keep it up

Yes, you are right. I apologize for the acronym mistype. It was the NARC unit. Thanks for correcting that info.

As far as the previous posts are concerned I have no argument: Things have definitely become more political within SPD, or at least much more openly political. The later, I believe, being the more dangerous of the two. As everyone can agree there is always a small amount of politicking in every organization, unfortunately at SPD those that are in the "circle of trust" or "FOC= Friend of Chief" or "FOS= Friend of Sp***er" have become very outspoken in their declarations of subservience. One Lt. in particular strolls about telling everyone they should "Drink the Coolade" and "Get on board", that is a sentiment parroted by a number of mid-level supervisors at the moment. I didn't get the memo that we were choosing sides here, and if we are supposed to back one group or another what are our choices? This has defiantly become an issue at SPD, no question about it, but here is the real question: How can we as Officers at SPD change the direction in which the department is headed? We can't fire those who have managed to suck their way up the COC regardless of lack of knowledge and utter lack of leadership skills. All of the supervisors who could make a difference are so exasperated over the current state of the department that most would refuse taking on any more responsibility that they currently are burdened with. So again what are we to do here, three of our newest Officers saw the writing on the wall and left, they will not be replaced any time in the near future, the moral of the department has been slowly sliding into the drink (most likely Coolade) and the Chief is resigned to have no dissenting opinions come into play at the SPD or is completely oblivious to what is going on around him. Our officers continue to elevate our arrests and calls handled for service even with fewer personnel, the problem at SPD is not one of lack of motivation, it is a issue of respect for the Officers on the street. The "rank and file" are forced to watch daily as the afore mentioned group strut around telling everyone how wonderful they are whilst the rest of us are forced to come to terms with lower man power, being sent back to nights, those on nights having their tour in the dark extended exponentially, and the ever present pressure to produce numbers to keep the "Stats" down. The old adage maintained if you don't like it take the Sergeant's test and change it, well there is not going to be any promotions in the foreseeable future, so again I ask seriously, How do we address the issue that keep coming up and are making SPD a frustrating place to be a cop?

The last poster asked a serious question. How does SPD change the direction that it is heading in? If you, the police officers, want change then recognize that the rank and file have the power to do so if everyone gets on board.

I recommend returning to good police work and stop this lottery of numbers. Officers need discretion because slowly rounding a STOP sign while going to work and running a red light after cars begin to move are not the same thing and do not deserve the same fines. Once upon a time, the person failing to fully stop would get a warning, but now that each point is tallied as a win for the powers to be, the public gets F**ked and the officer becomes tired of the monotany of producing points but not solving anything, so essentially joining in the orgy of getting F***ed.

Therefore, STOP producing useless numbers for the sake of those little slash marks by your name. Every time you concentrate on those instead of honoring your police oath you pave the way for further abuse of yourselves. Don't stop being police officers but stop being **** cops by writing everyone that can possibly be written, arresting anyone who can possibly be arrested. Police officers should be safe guarding the public not harrassing them. Discretion is yours, use it!

Police officers, then and only then will you take the power that you already possess but fail to utilize. Put pressure on the officers who won't conform and STOP the insanity right now!

One more observation: Chief Abbott loves the perceived "elite" but don't buy into that nonsense. Captain Spitler loves a cheerleading squad but do you really want to be on the sidelines cheering for him so that he gets even more undeserved glory. Do you really want to keep feeding his narcissim???

You the police officers are the ones who have the control if you decide to use it for the "betterment" of SPD . . . ."They" may make the rules but they need you to produce fertilizer for the bean garden. Aren't you tired of being bean farmers? Use your spines to rally for being cops, not gardners for the insane.

Best of Luck and as always Be Safe.