By Tom Nash

Over the objections of Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz, an ordinance that will fill two deputy police chief positions passed during a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen Thursday.

The ordinance, passed 10-1, authorizes filling the long-vacant deputy chief positions from within the department while allowing Police Chief Anthony Holloway to appoint officers to the position instead of following civil service hiring practices.

In the specially called meeting, Holloway and Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone presented the ordinance to the aldermen as an essential step in the police department’s reorganization, which has been in the works since a committee led by former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger recommended major changes in 2005.

‚ÄúThe proposal for the management structure of this department was a proposal one and all,‚Äù Curtatone said. ‚ÄúIt wasn’t something to be done piecemeal … You start chipping away at that foundation, you weaken the structure.‚Äù

The report had suggested that deputy chief positions be filled by the chief, a departure from current practice. Citing Holloway’s need for additional support, Curtatone said that without this ordinance the department’s progress would effectively come to a halt.

 
“We have fully employed 16 new recruits, we are ready to go with two new sub-stations, you have funded millions of dollars of new equipment and training,” he said to the aldermen. “We need to make a statement now.”

The appointments would be made from among the six captains within the department. The two vacancies they create would not be filled.

Holloway said deputy chiefs are necessary because under the current chain of command, which includes the six captains serving directly under him, there is little ability to disperse responsibility.

    
Gewirtz expressed concern at the lack of deliberation on the issue, saying there had been only three meetings about an earlier draft of the proposed changes and the legislative matters committee had not voted on the plan. She said she had expected another committee meeting and a public hearing to seek input from the community.

“I think we need to get as much information as we possibly can before voting in a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen on an ordinance that, frankly, we just got tonight,” Gewirtz said.

Gewirtz also challenged Curtatone’s assertion that the positions should be from outside civil service, saying standardized tests have been used to fill upper level ranks in other localities in Massachusetts.

‚ÄúThe reason why civil service was created so long ago was to prevent the politicization of these jobs and to make sure the people getting these jobs were the most qualified, that were doing the best on these exams,‚Äù Gewirtz said. ‚ÄúAnd now that we learn there’s a test that can test these qualifications that we’re looking for, why would we want to take these positions out of civil service?‚Äù

Several aldermen challenged Gewirtz’s assertions, culminating with Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero’s remarks as the ordinance came to a vote.

“If we want to politicize this issue, send them back to the police station tomorrow with a negative vote,” Pero said. “Who are we to ever even insinuate that we know better than (the police) how to do their jobs? Who are we to dare to even question their ability to bring the plan that they want before us to run the Somerville Police Department to keep us safe, to keep themselves safe, and to keep the citizens of the community safe?”

The measure will now go before the state legislature for approval.