CMs

Meeting with the Police Department

June 21, 2012

CM: I expect that you guys are kind of filtering it, but I think bottom line everybodys here, and I asked you all to come today because I wanted to talk to you about the state of the Coconut Creek PD, and I would like to start off doing a little story, just very quick; Im not really a big storyteller, but you know I look at our national thoughts, the discourse going on today right now about how everything is so negative between the democrats and the republicans, and the tea partiers and the liberals, and (inaudible) I dont think weve moved very far anywhere with whats going on, and it really all started the day after Mr. Obama was elected and a republican, Mitch McConnells, the Senate Leader said my mission over the next four years is to make sure this is a one-term president, and Im not even into politics thats not the point here, its that how those simple, simple statements, simple ideas can create an environment really thats affecting millions of us. OK, I just want to kind of put that as a little bit of a backdrop, and I look at what we have all, and if you have not been impacted by some of the goings on in Coconut PD for the last three to four months, how (inaudible), but that has not been the case for many, that has not been the case for me, it has not been the case for the chief, and many other people, and some of that starts off with a discussion about I want, I want. Its very much to me the same as the republicans saying I want, and I think that I go back to the time when before we hired the chief, and Ive met with almost

everybody, at least Ive tried to; theres a few I probably didnt get to, but I met with everybody. As we move forward into looking for a new chief, what is it that you want, what is it that you think you need, what is it were going to need to advance what was a great department into a greater department? And I took all of your comments, various comments, but I had to inject some of my own thought processes, and that was yeah, we need to make some change. Change is difficult for everybody, so I called upon the chief for my convenience and due process, and Im looking at who is somebody who can bring change and bring us to a better level of professional organization, and we look, I looked at the chief and I made a statement to him that we need to make change; we need to get past things like entitlement, cronyism, poor work, you know, incomplete reports -we need to be highly professional. So, that was the charge that I gave to the chief when we first came in, and that was what I searched for primarily because everyone here that I talk with wanted some level of change, and I will defy anyone to tell me that in the last two years or so there havent been more promotions and reassignments than there was in 15, 16, 17 years before that. I dont believe anyone could tell me that thats the case, because the other charge the chief got was to make sure that our people, our staff, our officers get the training and the experience needed so that some point in time in the future, and Im talking five or six years, we are going to generate a police chief, we can get rid of this guy, and out of our four units, people that have been here, and thats part of the mission as well.

 We have a lot of talented people and we still have a lot of talented people, we just havent had the opportunities presented to everyone to move forward, and I see that and I know that things are moving in the right direction, and Im very happy the way things are moving in the right direction. There are no opportunities like the present to really rethink what is your mission here? Do you want to be part of the solution or do you want to be part of the problem? And I will tell everyone here, and youre in trouble No, no That I want everyone, and I think everyone can be part of a solution and be part of rebuilding a great department and get rid of all the rumor mills, get rid of all the back fighting, look forward to going on the street and feel comfortable the people youre with on the street are going to support you and theyre going to watch your back, and Im afraid some of that has gone a little bit weak in the last couple of months. That cant happen; thats a lifeblood to every single one in this room. You have to be able to rely on them and the people next to you have to be able to rely upon you, and I have a really good feeling or bad feeling that that is not occurring on a regular basis, or at least it was in peoples minds, you know, this persons not on my side, this persons not on my side We have one side, we have the Police Department for Coconut Creek one side, and I know everyone is hopefully saying well I know that, I know that, but it really (inaudible) over the shoulders. That has to be shown, that has to be part of your gut reaction to things.

One of the things that I want to make very clear today is that the chief is the chief, and hes the person I selected, and hes going to stay exactly where he is, and hes going to continue to do the things that Ive asked him to do in creating accountability, creating professionalism, creating an environment for people to grow and become more effective and advanced in their careers, and best of all to feel good about going to work. I want everyone to start thinking about I want to go to work, and Im not complaining about absences and all that; Im talking about I want people to feel like they want to go to work and not worry about an environment that is a little caustic, there are people who have separate agendas, and I want to try to make this positive, but you cant ignore some of the things that have transpired over the last few months. So, the chief is the guy, and I want you all to understand hes the guy, and I believe the chief will take your comments, your suggestions, your thoughts in a proper environment and mix them into what he is contemplating for changes, and growth, and programs, but thats not to say that just because you said it its going to happen. Its part of the collective. I have 14 directors that do the same thing for me they come to me and say I need to do this, I want to do that, I want to do the other thing, and we sit and we filter it out and we think well, this is really the best way to go, so its a team effort. This is still a team effort but the chief makes the final call, and the chief when he came in had to decide how do I get this accomplished? I gave him pretty much free reign on how does he get this accomplished. So, he brought in some people that are part of his history, the deputy chief, and a

few others. They are to be considered our angels, our confidants, our support team. They should not be the enemy. I mean every time somebody comes in outside the main room managers office, because I was here for so long John came in, John Kelly came in and he must have brought 10-12 people from his previous lives. It happens everywhere; you surround yourself with people you have a certain level of confidence in and you give them tough tasks, and we had some tough tasks. I dont believe that anything has gone on in this department or with any of the personnel that was extreme, that wasnt called for in the way of accountability. You in particular out on the street performing the work that you do need to be highly accountable for the actions you take, and I think youve seen some stuff in the papers. Again, the last three or four months with the police caught speeding, using certain, you know, informational arenas that they should not have just yesterday. So, I mean you have to look at all these things, and the chief is the guy responsible; when it comes to final accountability, its the chief. If I have a problem its going to be the chief, Im not coming after anybody here, but you all have to work with the chief. You have to work as a unit; you need to support each other. Thats really all were looking at here. So, I will implore you to everyone that is in these different factions rethink what your world is. Do you want to stay, have a good life working in this police department, enjoy the work you do and be part of a great system, and I think we got a little off track a little bit, but I am going to be real clear the chief is the guy who is running this and that nobody else is running this,

and that if you have ideas I know the chief will accept your ideas for discussion. Do I have any questions, or comments, or thoughts? Is there anyone that feels that Im totally off-base, you know, that we should use something different? Id like to hear it, I really would like to hear it, thats why I asked for everyone Id like to have the same message go out as much as we can, and I know weve got a few guys out in the road, but I would like to hear if I miss something, if my thought processes arent functioning right. Accountability, opportunity to grow, advancement, a good environment to work, and why would we want to dispel that kind of environment? Ive been here a little over 18 years now and I love coming to work. Not that I love work so much, but I love where I work. Yes? JS I dont know about the rest of you, but I am a little confused about the criteria for promotion. There doesnt seem to be any set formula, there doesnt seem to be any educational requirements, any sort of specifics about what a (inaudible) is looking for when promoting you. There is some confusion about, you know, how much credibility or how much credit timeliness the department has to it. A lot of people have been here a long time (inaudible) promotion. Some people have been, like Im not talking about myself There is a fear that, you know, (inaudible) that there might be some retribution. CM: No retribution, Im telling you.

JS: Well, its easy for you to say because youre up there and were down here. CM: Im telling you that there is no retribution. I am telling you everyone here, and well say todays a brand new day and retribution is a matter of point of view, OK, lets look at it that way. Retribution is a matter of point of view and Im going to say that you want to get promoted around here you just (inaudible) get people experienced, moving them into places that can become a key in the future, or at least a (inaudible) to be a (inaudible) in the future, and I am terribly sorry that for 15, or 16, or 17 years nothing occurred. That was not within my power to do that. Now, it is within my power and were moving people along. That doesnt mean everyone thats here, 22, 23, 25 years is going to be promoted to chief. Its not going to happen. If youre a sergeant, youre not going to get very far right now because youve got a year or two, whatever You know what, its on those specifics about why, what are you looking for in with a corporal or lieutenant right now? JS: I think there is an innate... CM: You be part of the team, you be cooperative, you be supportive, you work towards the goals the department and the city has set out. It is nebulous; it isnt going to be a score. We know that sergeants, to move to sergeant you need a score. After that, its dependent on how you fit the environment. It is not a perfect science, it is how does the man in charge

feel you fit into his world and the processes and the environment hes trying to create, and that is really it. Youre not going to find a formula, youre not going to find formula, and I dont to hear about oh, it turns into cronyism, and it turns into favoritism. Guess what, thats how it works, and its not favoritism; its people who support my mission are the ones Im going to promote. Now, you may want to call it favoritism, but its not its a matter of working together. If Mary was on the other side of me constantly going to commissioners and giving me grief everyday, she wouldnt be where she is today, its just not going to happen. Why would I put somebody there Now, she fights me, theres no question she fights me, but thats OK, that part is OK. You can fight with me, convince me of a position, and thats one of the things I want from her; she can stand up and say youre wrong, this is a better way to go, but in the end youre working on one mission and thats why promotions occur once you get out of sergeant, not because you can pass a test, thats not really the criteria. The criteria is are you involved in creating the proper mission in the department, and as I said, if youve got two, three years to go, and Ive talked to several people in that tenure area, +20, +22s, and I told him clearly I dont expect that you will be promoted. I will expect that you can come and do your job, no ones job is on the line, and Im asking you, whoever they are, as experienced personnel, very experienced personnel to help move along this next generation because thats what we have to look for.

If were going to continue to try to create an environment for our next chief whos coming out of these ranks somewhere, thats what we have to do because were very late in the game. We didnt move people where they should have been, they didnt get the right exposure, and again I will apologize to those people that are +20 years that their chances are somewhat limited, but I dont disrespect them. I respect them greatly for years and I respect them for their experience, and (inaudible) be part of moving the next generation up. I have spoken to the chief about changing some titling, those kinds of things, and I think we talked about this years ago, to recognize that we have 20, 25, 28-year people that are pushing a car, (inaudible) theyre pushing car for their entire lives, and if they didnt they still have a lot of experience on the road to give to people that are coming up the ranks. Thats pretty much what I can say about that. There isnt a criterion you might be expecting. Anything else or did I miss the mark or do you disagree? Tell me. JS: I disagree. CM: Well, tell me. JS: I think there should be (inaudible). Of course the chief should have complete full right to select who he wants, but it would be nice if he reached a basic level of competency. Im not saying that (inaudible) is incompetent. I just feel it would be a more professional department, and you talk about no cronyism and none of that stuff going on, but you know

the problem is when you dont have some sort of sect right here, when theres nothing in place that says if I do this, and I do that, and I work hard, Im going to get promoted, then its all left up for rejection, people will just CM: And at the moment youre 100% right. At the moment youre 100% right and I cant defend it other than what Ive said, and there may be a time where things change, but right now if were going to be having people prepared, that doesnt work, and Im going to say thats the chiefs call and we need to sit by the chief. You know we talk and we argue and fight quite a bit about promotions and structural things, but Ive asked him to do a mission and were moving on that mission, and I dont see at this point If he chooses at a later date to create different testings, that may be what he does, but right now he doesnt and Im going to support that. I think when it comes to the senior staff, as I do with mine, I pick them, and they come and go whenever I want. (inaudible) a little bit different in terms of their lifestyle and their support in their position, especially as AO most republican guys are AO. AOs (inaudible) so to speak. We dont use that often, but thats really the bottom line, and the chief wants that. I dont prevent other people and other directors in how they hire their assistance do they have experience, do they have the right resumes, and thats the chiefs decisions and what he supports. Other questions? JS: (inaudible) promotions also for special assignments?

CM: Let me say this; let me say this, so you dont have to, examples or whatever. Special assignments are still the same thing; youre given a special assignment because your onto the mission of the department and youre in need of some experience that you start to put into your kit bag so you can be prepared to move higher in the organization, so all of that comes into play, and yeah well be talking 98%, 96% - theres a few screw ups, theres no question. Nothing is 100%, theres no absolute perfect answer to any of this. I mean we could have everyone tested so you get a, and Im not saying, but you (inaudible) get 100 on the exam as a Lieutenant, but does that help you if hes not really qualified (inaudible)? Thats not the only criteria, so right now its more You know the personnel, (inaudible) know what theyre doing, and the same for the special assignments. Special assignments really need help, really need assistance. (inaudible) we would fit, and thats just something in your resume for later on. What else, anything? Have I thoroughly discouraged you at this point? This is not discouragement; this should be an uplifting hopefully relief. So, Im being as straight as I can, you know, I think letting you (inaudible) for a long time Im not going to, you know, bullshit you guys, so Im being as straight as I can and I think its the right thing to do for the condition of our department, and not (inaudible) just needed to move up, and with everyone coming to me before the chief got here and saying we need to fix this, and we need to fix that, and Im going to tell you that I know some came and said we need to fix this or that, it wasnt part of my needs to fix this or that, it was maybe other things that I needed to fix, so not everyone

got exactly what they asked for because thats just how this works; I take your input and I put it into a pot and we come out with what we need, goes to complaints. But the chief was from FDLE; he didnt know anything about municipal police work, and from a great perspective that was a great benefit in hiring the chief to me, because I said someone thats not in the good ole boy kind of police network someone thats maybe a little bit outside and has a different perspective, a newer perspective, a fresher perspective on management of law enforcement communities. I didnt think that was a bad thing, I thought it was actually a really good thing. Change is not terrible, change is hard, but change ends up hopefully being good, and I think weve just gone through something that will evolve us into a much better unit as long as we decide that thats what we want, and if thats not what you want, this is not the place for you. Im just trying to be real straight. If you dont want to be part of the best team, working together, having a great environment, probably one of the better paying units in the county, maybe its time for you to move on, and Im not pointing at anybody. Im just saying I think this is the best place to work and I believe many of you down in your hearts know that it can be the best place to work. Any other comments, thoughts, questions, are you sure? Think about it for a while; take it in, talk to the people that are with you on a positive note. Make sure that everyone understands that were here to support you, youre here to support the community, and everyone here should be supporting the chief in trying to make the changes and promoting the department the way we need it to grow, OK?