Final 5

The final five are identified as follows in no specific order. These 5 will be submitted to the City Manager for consideration.

R. Dilling
W. Tokajer
P. Amabile
J. Hall
M. Ross

No idea when the City Manager is planning on his interviews.

Thanks for the info pudge!

Thanks for your efforts in keeping us up to date. The question now is whether the CM will go with an retired chief looking for an easy retirement job or go for someone who is going to come in grab the bull by the horns and do what needs to be done. My bet is one the latter.

The last thing we need is more of the same old same old. We need new blood, new attitude and a vision for the long term not just a few years.

Thanks for your efforts in keeping us up to date. The question now is whether the CM will go with an retired chief looking for an easy retirement job or go for someone who is going to come in grab the bull by the horns and do what needs to be done. My bet is one the latter.

The last thing we need is more of the same old same old. We need new blood, new attitude and a vision for the long term not just a few years.
With the interviews,questionnaires and educational requirements, I think we will get someone who is progressive. From what i heard the interviews with the community went well and some good prospects came out of it. Time will tell.

I spoke with someone from the citizens committee and he said there was a standout, but he wouldn't tell me who or anything about him, other then they all liked his answers and demeanor.

Its getting close, hopefully the CM won't drag his feet on the interviews and will pick a great one, not a good one, but a great one. We need to stay strong and give the new chief a good welcome and our support.

I heard from a city commissioner that George has already let it out that it will be Chief Hall. Dont say you heard it from me! :cop:

Make that two; was told that today also.

I heard from a city commissioner that George has already let it out that it will be Chief Hall. Dont say you heard it from me! :cop:
Does he know Hall? I didn't think the cm did any interviews yet, how could he already decide?

How did the interviews go?

Not sure, interviews continue tommorow. Could be a while still. Even if the C/M makes a decision he won't tell anyone for a month or two

Not sure, interviews continue tommorow. Could be a while still. Even if the C/M makes a decision he won't tell anyone for a month or two
The interviews have been completed, any news? I don't think the CM will wait a month or two, but who knows. It has been a long time, almost two years with out a permenant chief, it would be nice to have a direction and start planning for the future of the PD, my thoughts anyway.

Anyone heard any mumblings? Things seems to have cold over the past few days. I really thought the CM would get on it pretty quick once he was done with his interviews. To those that posted earlier about the applicant from Panama City, anything? How about Bradenton? I did see that the Ledger identified each on their blog, including a lawyer.....really, a lawyer? Ya thats just what we need.

maybe we will here something soon. C/M said it would take maybe two weeks to make a decision, so not next week but maybe the week after, we will here something. Its been two years (or 12 considering the Sandvik error, yes I said error not era) so two more weeks shouldn't kill us.

"couple of weeks"....."two weeks".....and no word, should have known better than that.

Long isn't in a hurry to do anything. Ofcourse, I haven't seen him do ANYTHING since he's been here. think about it, what HAS he done since he has been here. What did the paper say the other day, he has had a list of four things to accomplish since he's started, and he has done 1. "And we're okay with that" says one commisioner. How would he react if he told us to do 4 things and we did 1?

Why are the Commissioners allowing this? The Police Chief is a critical position for Public Safety. Lots of talk in the community about no Chief.

Commish, what commish. Didn't you read the ledger the other day, "he's (long) is doing a good job." it seems that the position of commisioner is a popularity contest, nothing more. just like long said back 9 months ago, "60, 90, 120" days till a new chief could be hired. 9 months ago. He don't care, he is banking the chief's salary and benefits package some where else, god only knows where! I hope who ever is the new chief is aware that Long doesn't care for this city and has his big boy britches on when he starts as chief, cause Long dont have a clue and the commish we keep voting for, for some reason, don't do anything about it. everyone had great hopes with Lewis, but really, he has got to know whats going on, and he sits idly by along with the other commisioners.
as far as i can tell, long hasn't done anything for this city that wasn't already working when he walked in the door. Someone tell me please, what new programs does the city have, is the budget better, are the roads cleaner? id be willing to bet that over half the 300 city employees hasn't even met the man, thats pitiful!

Commish, what commish. Didn't you read the ledger the other day, "he's (long) is doing a good job." it seems that the position of commisioner is a popularity contest, nothing more. just like long said back 9 months ago, "60, 90, 120" days till a new chief could be hired. 9 months ago. He don't care, he is banking the chief's salary and benefits package some where else, god only knows where! I hope who ever is the new chief is aware that Long doesn't care for this city and has his big boy britches on when he starts as chief, cause Long dont have a clue and the commish we keep voting for, for some reason, don't do anything about it. everyone had great hopes with Lewis, but really, he has got to know whats going on, and he sits idly by along with the other commisioners.
as far as i can tell, long hasn't done anything for this city that wasn't already working when he walked in the door. Someone tell me please, what new programs does the city have, is the budget better, are the roads cleaner? id be willing to bet that over half the 300 city employees hasn't even met the man, thats pitiful!
Why in the hell would he need to hobnob with bottom-level officers???? You dont understand how busy the administrators are.

Why in the hell would he need to hobnob with bottom-level officers???? You dont understand how busy the administrators are.


I am glad to see Georgie Boy is reading this Forum now. That's just what we expect out of him. He is way too busy for us. Read the Ledger, he said it. I dont need to communicate, they need to quit whining and get to work !!!! Frick'n peeeons !

$135,000 a year, for what?

Oh and if yall didnt catch it in the Democrat, General Employees are not getting raises, so that means we wont be either. Is that not the best news yet ? JoeGeorge is doing a great job !

Where's my Tank?! I'm going to town !

"JOEGeorge" that was good. i see the similarities.

Good Lord, did anyone really expect anything different from George? He was fired from his last job. You can bet he is still pissed off because the commish turn down the contract. Oh, my bag, he was not going to take any position. He was just going to give the pros & cons.

I wonder if he really is going to pick a new chief. If he does, I hope the have a second income!

I just heard that George will be announcing his pick tommorow he is tired of all the backlashing that is going on. It should be interesting. :cop:

I just heard that George will be announcing his pick tommorow he is tired of all the backlashing that is going on. It should be interesting. :cop:
Will the announcement be done via a sealed envelope or will Brian Seacrest keep us in suspense until after the commercial break????

"Tomorrow" has came and gone and nothing. Why so much miss information out there? As if we weren't under enough stress already.

Are you guys for real??? How can they announce their pick if they haven't done their backgrounds yet??? Keep the commetns coming, they are really interesting and entertaining.... :P :P

The backgrounds are done, george just either isnt in a hurry or does not give a $hitzit. He is so slow!

The backgrounds are not done yet. Heck, they haven't even started yet.... I will give it 4-5 weeks more.... 8)

Anyone have an idea when the contact with Polk SO expires? Wouldnt it make sense to have the new chief on board by then? Maybe even a breaking in period.

Anyone have an idea when the contact with Polk SO expires? Wouldnt it make sense to have the new chief on board by then? Maybe even a breaking in period.
What contract are you talking about? The background checks should not take longer then a week or two, depending on how quickly the information gets back. The background checks would only be conducted on the top one or two picks, I doubt they would conduct checks on all 5, the CM must know who he wants...I also doubt any of the background checks will be a problem, after all the candidates are all career LEOs and previous ranking officers, what possibly could be in their background that would eliminate them for consideration?

I heard from a city commissioner that George has already let it out that it will be Chief Hall. Dont say you heard it from me! :cop:
Obviously a good source! I wonder how George made his pick without doing interviews? The interviews didn't happen until May?????? Talk about your cone of silence??? Not!!!!

IF it's factual that the CM had already made his choice, what about the time and expense of the other 4 finalists to attend an interview with the CM? Then, 4 weeks later, the CM's choice is publicized in the newspaper with no prior notice to the other finalists. The CM has the right to choose whomever he wants, but this particular process was poor at best!

IF it's factual that the CM had already made his choice, what about the time and expense of the other 4 finalists to attend an interview with the CM? Then, 4 weeks later, the CM's choice is publicized in the newspaper with no prior notice to the other finalists. The CM has the right to choose whomever he wants, but this particular process was poor at best!
It is true, at least the notification part. I have a friend at PCSO that knows one of the candidates. He told my friend that he read about the selection and was not told by the city...Classless, totally classless, is it GeorgeJoe or JoeGeorge?? All of the candidates are law enforcement professionals, I'm sure word will get out how they were treated, man, can't we do anything right?

There is no way to please you guys, is it? First you ***** because its taking too long, and now that the candidate was selected, you ***** because you didn't like the selection process. Grow up!!!! You got a new chief, now make him feel welcome!!! :evil:

There is no way to please you guys, is it? First you ***** because its taking too long, and now that the candidate was selected, you ***** because you didn't like the selection process. Grow up!!!! You got a new chief, now make him feel welcome!!! :evil:
STFU, it has to do with being classless, we will never be taken serious if we act like a bunch of Mayberry RFD arsewipes. The city had an opportunity to do the right thing, has anyone forgotten the employee satisfaction survey? Aj and the rest of the criminals would not class if it bite them on the arse, do you think after so much time the CM should have met his employees? Pizz poor and they're is nothing you can say to change it, we are 3rd class citizens.