Aldermen remove chief from civil service

By George P. Hassett

   An ordinance proposed by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone to remove the police chief from civil service was unanimously approved by the Board of Alderman last night.

   Alderman at Large William A. White and Ward 1 Alderman William A. Roche each said they supported Curtatone‚Äôs proposal. 

   Under the new plan, the mayor would appoint the police chief. This would eliminate the importance of scoring high on the test that currently decides who can be considered for the job.
   The mayor has already said Acting Police Chief Robert Bradley is his first pick for the position.
   It also would mean the chief has to answer to the mayor for any problems or concerns with the department.
   Curtatone said at a Nov. 15 public hearing, the move would increase the chief‚Äôs accountability.
   ‚ÄúIf I don‚Äôt do a good job as mayor, the voters would boot me out of office.  If the aldermen don‚Äôt represent their constituents, they too can lose an election.  If most people sitting here tonight or watching on television don‚Äôt do their jobs, they too will be fired.  Why should the police chief be any different?‚Äù he said.
   He said removing the chief from civil service will also widen the pool for applicants.
   But there is opposition to the proposal. The Patrolmen‚Äôs Union voted not to support it, contending the chief‚Äôs position will become political, said union president Jack Leutcher at the public hearing.
   Roche said the new system has safeguards to prevent political favoritism.
   ‚ÄúI supported the ordinance because it calls for a thorough non-political selection process,‚Äù he said.
    That process begins with an outside firm recruiting and reviewing applicants. The firm then passes on the top five to seven resumes to a selection committee that includes two police officers ‚Äì one from the Patrolmen‚Äôs Union and one from the Superior Officers Union, and four residents selected by the mayor and the board of aldermen. Two of these residents must be minorities.
    Roche voted against removing the police chief from civil service twice before when Dorothy Kelly  Gay proposed it in 2001 and when Michael E. Capuano did so in 1998.
   ‚ÄúThose proposals did not have this type of inclusionary, public selection process. That is why I voted against those two ordinances and why I support this one,‚Äù he said.