An ongoing debate within the Columbus Police Department continued Tuesday during the meeting of the mayor and City Council. Police Chief Selvain McQueen appeared before the board seeking approval for updated policies regarding lateral hiring and departmental promotions.
McQueen’s proposal would allow the hiring of personnel outside of the police department to enter the force at the same rank as the one held at a prior employer. The proposed new system was not popular with several Columbus police officers who appeared before the Columbus Civil Service Commission in January to voice their dismay. The officers contend McQueen has not kept his word since becoming chief, especially in regards to promotions and the hiring officers outside of the department.
Some of the officers made an appearance before the mayor and council to discuss the new policies. According to McQueen, the appearances were at the request of Ward 3 Alderman Charlie Box.
“I was one of the first officers who spoke at the civil service meeting,” officer Wade Beard said. “I’m a 20-year veteran of this department. We have a lot of experience in this department. We have not had a sergeants promotion since 2006. We stood here and listened to (McQueen) explain why he would be the best police chief. I agreed with y’all that we needed a local guy. We all supported Chief McQueen like y’all did. We want to know why if he was good enough to come up through the ranks to become chief, then why aren’t we good enough to do the same?”
Beard told the council that he did supervisor work while receiving officer’s pay and he and his fellow officers deserve a chance to be promoted internally.
“We have enough experience to do the job — just give us a chance,” he said. “I’ve been on the corporals list since 1998. We also oppose the hiring of (a second) assistant chief. We could hire two officers for what that salary would be. There are no departments in the state that would be allow them to keep their rank if they changed departments.”
McQueen said he knew of two departments in the state where rank was transferred when questioned on the subject by Columbus Mayor Robert Smith. This morning, McQueen also said he initially planned to hire the second assistant police chief from within the police department’s ranks.
Patrolman Gregory Harstad said he feels communication problems and public perspective were contributing factors to the deteriorating morale of the department.
“Right now, because of the image we have — which is not deserved — people don’t want to talk to us because of what they have read about us in the paper,” Harstad said. “The media needs to build up the image of the officers in the newspapers. If we improve our image, we can improve our communication.”
Harstad’s speech was questioned by Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem, who wanted to know what the department’s image in the media had to do with internal promotions.
“These people here are qualified to move up into leadership positions, so the image is that you have people who are qualified and doing outstanding jobs, and they should get the promotions over people being hired from the outside,” said Harstad.
With the city’s image being tarnished by crime, including four unsolved murders, Smith asked Harstad why the officers weren’t doing more.
“If you have all of this experience and everyone is doing such an outstanding job, then why do we have all of this crime in Columbus?” Smith asked. “What do you think is stopping you from being promoted? Don’t you think we would look at the qualified officers within our department first?”
McQueen said there were several factors to consider when it comes to who should or should not get a promotion.
“Some of these people who keep talking about getting promotions have not passed their tests,” he said. “As a result of lowers standards of admissions in officer training, you only have to pass with a 70. We have some officers who can’t make a 70 — why do these people feel the need to be promoted? If you can’t pass a test, why do you deserve a promotion?
“Also, the language as it reads now says that everyone has to be promoted, even officers in disciplinary trouble. I am not going to promote people who are in disciplinary trouble. As far as outside hiring goes, I am going to get the very best officers I can for the city of Columbus.”
An executive session was requested by McQueen to “better discuss personnel.”
Eventually, the City Council voted to send the new policies back to the Civil Service Commission for review. The Civil Service Commission heard comments from the police chief and officers last month after the City Council had already approved McQueen’s requested policy changes. The Civil Service Commission did not approve the policy and instead sent the matter back to the City Council for review.
Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin first made a motion to table the matter for further discussion; his motion was seconded by Ward 2 City Councilman Joseph Mickens, but Gavin and Mickens were the only councilmen to support the measure.
Karriem made the motion to send the matter back to the Civil Service Commission
Karriem, Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor and Ward 4 Councilman Fred Stewart voted in favor of the motion. Mickens, Box and Gavin opposed, forcing Smith to break the tie.
The policies will be brought before the Columbus Civil Service Commission Thursday.
McQueen already was working on revisions this morning.
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