Small Town Police Department

[Unregistered]

The issue with most police agencies is that most leadership was brought up through the authoritative style of leadership, and any time a newer officer asks why something is done that way, the leader takes it as a newer police officer questioning their authority. Times have changed and old school leaders need to start listening to the new generation, not that they have all the answers but are more in touch with society changes and could provide valuable information that be used to come up with new innovated ways to address issues. Giving the new generation a voice is not a sign of weakness it is a sign of a good leader adapting to our ever changing culture. Once officers feel they have a voice and are part of a possible solution moral will grow. Once the word gets out that your agency is open to new ideas the retention and attracting new officers will not be an issue. Experience leaders know that they do not know everything and look at all available sources to lead the agency into a positive direction and change the culture.

With the realization that KV has wiped out more than half the department during his tenure, comes the realization that the department is made up of less than 4 years experience which will also be declining even more with the hiring to fill the empty positions now available. Great job on the purge KV and great job by the CM's past and present for allowing this Holocaust at NPPD to occur!

[Stephanie Gibson]

SO, I just started reading some of the NP PD threads. I live in NP but work in another part of the state. Am not really up to speed on all issues with the PD but was surprised to see all the candidates rejected, am also surprised that the city administrator used to be an assistant finance guy....hmmm no else in the state qualified? NP is an interesting place mostly blue collar with retirees a few folks with $$ mostly in Heron Creek and Bobcat i have lived here for several years but guess I need to start paying attention. Have seen few commission mtgs online and am appalled by the lack of professionalism by most of them-but that s what we get for 29k a year....interesting how all the meetings are during the day when most cannot attend and even more cannot run if we have a real job...

City Manager Lear was the Finance Manager when he was selected to be the acting Interim. He has done a good job of keeping the City rolling in a year of much change and turmoil internally. Many of us were sorely disappointed that a Chief was not selected in the first set.

Day vs Night meetings: We have gotten better with rotating between day and night meetings. I think they have to have a second reading in the opposite meeting as the first reading. So if XYZ Ordinance first reading is in a day meeting, then the second reading has to be at a night meeting.

Commission salaries: The role is considered a part time job and I think the salary reflects that. For the Commissioners who are doing their homework and attending even a few events, they are putting 40+ hours in each week so that reduces the candidate pool. There is an increase after this election. I think the new salary will be around $40K. I like the idea of tying thir salary to the Median income. Commissioners salaraies aping the average citizen but it still wont allow for those currently working fulltime to run.

[Stephanie Gibson]

The issue with most police agencies is that most leadership was brought up through the authoritative style of leadership, and any time a newer officer asks why something is done that way, the leader takes it as a newer police officer questioning their authority. Times have changed and old school leaders need to start listening to the new generation, not that they have all the answers but are more in touch with society changes and could provide valuable information that be used to come up with new innovated ways to address issues. Giving the new generation a voice is not a sign of weakness it is a sign of a good leader adapting to our ever changing culture. Once officers feel they have a voice and are part of a possible solution moral will grow. Once the word gets out that your agency is open to new ideas the retention and attracting new officers will not be an issue. Experience leaders know that they do not know everything and look at all available sources to lead the agency into a positive direction and change the culture.

Leadership is ageless. I agree strong leaders do listen to those who are in the trenches, to clients, to each other. Letting individual left issues and propose solutions that they know first hand that exists. That tightens the ship and the empowerment builds and makes Leadership looks genius. That applies whether a cop shop or corp org.

Culture changes in society.. most of it to our collective detriment. What I dont understand from what you wrote is how the 'culture' changes how we police? The law should be the law and officers enforce the law within the guidelines of the Constitution. So how is that different today than 10 20 50 years ago?

[Unregistered]

With the realization that KV has wiped out more than half the department during his tenure, comes the realization that the department is made up of less than 4 years experience which will also be declining even more with the hiring to fill the empty positions now available. Great job on the purge KV and great job by the CM's past and present for allowing this Holocaust at NPPD to occur!

KV is gone, but the damage is done. All the favorite sons, good old boys, a$$kissers and the so called warriors have been appointed to belter paying positions, like, traffic, detective etc. So what's left on Patrol, probies and the officers who either refused to kiss up or were not as they say purged. Then we have Capt M, the interim. It has been asked why as the third in command he did not speak up when the purge started, the answer was simple, he is an at will employee and well he would have also been purged. Acceptable answer, except for the fact, he is a favorite son, he absolutely could have used his connections to stop KV and did not. Lets face it KV was forced out, but was allowed to retire and given the extra year he did so much more damage, this is on the commissioners and Lear and yes Capt CM. KV and MP should have been gone as soon as the election results were in. If the commissioners new anything when they took office they knew the PD was in serious trouble, they took there sweet a$$ time in acting and it cost us what 26 officers. This is unacceptable. Now Capt CM is trying to hire experienced officers even offering incentives. My question is don't we have 26, 30, 60 officers KV forced out that are more experienced than any outsiders would be. If Capt CM wants to right the wrong done he would solicit all the forced out officers (certainly except for the arrested and fired for cause ones, real cause not the made up BS spewed)) and see if anyone wants to return, most moved on, but some might, at least offer. It would certainly save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in training and equipment and most are probably still certified and would be road ready. A true leader would admit to the faults of the past and make amends

[Unregistered]

Leadership is ageless. I agree strong leaders do listen to those who are in the trenches, to clients, to each other. Letting individual left issues and propose solutions that they know first hand that exists. That tightens the ship and the empowerment builds and makes Leadership looks genius. That applies whether a cop shop or corp org.

Culture changes in society.. most of it to our collective detriment. What I dont understand from what you wrote is how the 'culture' changes how we police? The law should be the law and officers enforce the law within the guidelines of the Constitution. So how is that different today than 10 20 50 years ago?

I haven't seen a time in my three decades of being in this line of work that society has been so "anti-cop", this shift has basically put targets on our backs; just for being in the uniform. You are correct that upholding the laws and the constitution has not changed, but our approach in reaching these goal has over the years. When I spoke of culture change I was referring to inside the department. I haven't worked for Northport and the posts I have read could be coming from just disgruntled employees; having said that I was basically saying that if the posts are accurate the change has to come from within. The good ole boys system and having two sets of rules is a morale killer, and officers no matter how long they have been with the department should have input. If they keep getting shut out eventually they are going to leave or just do the minimum to get by.

[Stephanie Gibson]

I haven't seen a time in my three decades of being in this line of work that society has been so "anti-cop", this shift has basically put targets on our backs; just for being in the uniform. You are correct that upholding the laws and the constitution has not changed, but our approach in reaching these goal has over the years. When I spoke of culture change I was referring to inside the department. I haven't worked for Northport and the posts I have read could be coming from just disgruntled employees; having said that I was basically saying that if the posts are accurate the change has to come from within. The good ole boys system and having two sets of rules is a morale killer, and officers no matter how long they have been with the department should have input. If they keep getting shut out eventually they are going to leave or just do the minimum to get by.

The anti-cop rhetoric IS horrific and Unacceptable.

How to fix that.. I dont know but I do know what would help. You may or may not agree but I think all the Police can do is truly self police and live up to their code of conduct. Leadership should demand such. When an officer screws up, we dont exonerate but we admit there was a problem, retrain and redirect, revisit the policy if it was the underlying problem and try like hell not to repeat the same.

My thought is if Officer Jones loses his temper and oversteps in force, we kick him hard and put him on notice. We do everything we must so that officer does not overstep again. If he does, you end his job. As you cut out the repeat offenders, you cut out the opportunity for the shock jocks to send all over the net riling up the anti-cop crazies. Dont shy from disclaiming publically that a screw up occurred. It will grow trust with public when they see you NOT hiding and covering up.

Stay Safe!

[Unregistered]

Leadership is ageless. I agree strong leaders do listen to those who are in the trenches, to clients, to each other. Letting individual left issues and propose solutions that they know first hand that exists. That tightens the ship and the empowerment builds and makes Leadership looks genius. That applies whether a cop shop or corp org.

Culture changes in society.. most of it to our collective detriment. What I dont understand from what you wrote is how the 'culture' changes how we police? The law should be the law and officers enforce the law within the guidelines of the Constitution. So how is that different today than 10 20 50 years ago?

if you were a cop you would understand. No offense but that it what you and everyone in the public just dont understand. Policing has changed drastically over the years.

[Unregistered]

The anti-cop rhetoric IS horrific and Unacceptable.

How to fix that.. I dont know but I do know what would help. You may or may not agree but I think all the Police can do is truly self police and live up to their code of conduct. Leadership should demand such. When an officer screws up, we dont exonerate but we admit there was a problem, retrain and redirect, revisit the policy if it was the underlying problem and try like hell not to repeat the same.

My thought is if Officer Jones loses his temper and oversteps in force, we kick him hard and put him on notice. We do everything we must so that officer does not overstep again. If he does, you end his job. As you cut out the repeat offenders, you cut out the opportunity for the shock jocks to send all over the net riling up the anti-cop crazies. Dont shy from disclaiming publically that a screw up occurred. It will grow trust with public when they see you NOT hiding and covering up.

Stay Safe!

You are correct, it has been the norm for many years to keep mistakes or misdeeds under the radar. I believe that mistakes are going to be made, and some believe that admitting when mistakes happen it somehow puts a so called black eye on the department. Personally if mistakes are made either trying to do the right thing or just an out right violation of ethics or moral character, they both need to be addressed and not hide the truth. No matter what the action is, an actual mistake or deliberate violation not getting out in front of it only causes mistrust in the community. We are cops but human mistakes will happen.

[Unregistered]

You are correct, it has been the norm for many years to keep mistakes or misdeeds under the radar. I believe that mistakes are going to be made, and some believe that admitting when mistakes happen it somehow puts a so called black eye on the department. Personally if mistakes are made either trying to do the right thing or just an out right violation of ethics or moral character, they both need to be addressed and not hide the truth. No matter what the action is, an actual mistake or deliberate violation not getting out in front of it only causes mistrust in the community. We are cops but human mistakes will happen.

it would be really nice if what has transpired here could be classified as a mistake, but unfortunately 98 % of it was intentional and some just criminal. Cop bashing really. What has happened here over the past couple years is simply outing the wrong. Think if KV was not outed as the fraud he is, he would have retired, Nope. Several others the same way. We work for the people not for ourselves. If you, like me are not directly involved stay out of it. Some of us have had it coming for years, protected by the same system which created and endorsed this mess. KV and MP gone, Capt CM and Capt A not leadership material. I for one am glad Steph took to social media, things are changing and will do so even faster and more professional with a real leader. Mistakes are forgiveable, intentional violations of law and rules are not. For to many years the favored have been treated as they could do no wrong while the not favored suffered. This department can no longer work in the shadows, accountability has come to North Port, like it or not.