Nugget-sized story on police chief hiring timeline
Slated for Sunday's edition:
By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO -- Mayor Pat Morris' office released a timeline Friday showing that the Police Department could have a new chief as April 20.
Police Chief Michael Billdt, who weathered the Police Officers Association's no confidence vote in 2008, had said he would retire when his contract expires in late March.
However, Billdt revealed Thursday that Morris convinced him to stay on the job a little longer. Morris said in a phone interview the following day that he doesn't consider the news to be a reversal of his administration's plans.
The mayor it wouldn't make sense to put the Police Department in the hands of an interim leader for a few weeks in the midst of a budget crunch. In his spoken remarks, he said Billdt could serve for another four to six weeks. Interim City Manager Mark Weinberg also wants to retain Billdt as chief.
"It is just good business practice. We need to have a strong leader in place until we have another strong leader in place. It's called Management 101," Morris said.
Morris said the city is taking applications from prospective police chiefs until Friday. Weinberg reported that about 40 would-be chiefs have sent applications to the city's headhunting firm.
Sixth Ward City Councilman Rikke Van Johnson agreed with Morris' opinion, but 7th Ward Councilwoman Wendy McCammack took another view, arguing that keeping Billdt on the job could make it harder to negotiate salary concessions from the police union.
"Why would any labor group want to make concessions to a chief they have no confidence in,?" McCammack asked.
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"It is just good business practice. We need to have a strong leader in place until we have another strong leader in place. It's called Management 101," Morris said.
Too bad Morris failed Management 101. Billdt and Morris need to go.
To cum laude wannabe,
Simply put you are a very ignorant person.
McCammack needs to go as well. She has it in for the Chief and it's obvious. The Chief is a good man, he has done a great job, and at every turn, he has to justify to the presitgious Wendy M his decisions? Wow, maybe she should put in for the Chief's job and we'll see how well she will do! So far, her support for the PD officers/department is a big joke. She says she supports them, but she typically votes against their issues.
wow, looks like ol' Scott Patterson is lighting up the blogs in defense of Billdt.
Ha! No matter how you try to spin it nobody is going to suddenly think 'hey, Chief Billdt is a stand up guy.!'
The sooner Billdt and Morris are thrown out of town the better. Way to go Wendy!
Speaking as a veteran Officer, I do not plan on retiring from the SBPD, like I did earlier in my career. I will be looking for a job at another agency. The sooner the better, I don't want to go through this for several years to come. The SBPD is one of the, if not the busiest police dept in southern Ca. and if we take a pay cut and later possibly cuts in benefits, Why work in that kind of environment if if you don't have what attracked many Officers in the first place. I am just one of many that are thinking the same way.
To "McCammack needs to join them":
Well her constituents don't agree with you since they just re-elected her.....guess you'll have to wait another three years. Maybe you should run for her position since she is serving for practically no pay - not like your beloved Chief who will be taking this city for every penny he can.