To Quote good old Abraham Lincoln:

“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

 

 

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/oct/20/crime-statistics-in-spokane-will-be-more-detailed-/

 

Is there anyone awake out there that might be able to formulate at least some idea of what is going on at SPD. Obviously the Public Safety Committee, the City Council, and some of the Media can’t!!!

 

 

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/a10a090a-b962-43fa-a032-432268158198

 

https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/04/22/727077/0/en/Spokane-County-Washington-Upgrades-Public-Safety-Software-to-Improve-Service.html

 

https://my.spokanecity.org/news/stories/2015/02/12/new-dispatch-and-records-system-will-help-make-spokane-safer/

 

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/feb/11/spokane-county-commission-approves-29-million/

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRG3xY67Wug

 

____________________________

 

BACKGROUND:

 

https://examplepro.me/2016/09/20/by-the-numbers-well-sort-of/

https://examplepro.me/2016/03/16/bad-spd-news-must-be-coming-soon/

https://examplepro.me/2016/01/11/yes-they-would-have-kicked-me-out/

https://examplepro.me/2016/04/05/a-conversation-with-interim-chief-meidl-and-major-justin-lundgrenpart-three/

https://examplepro.me/2016/09/27/away-from-precincts/

https://examplepro.me/2015/10/31/boy-is-this-embarrassing/

https://examplepro.me/2015/10/24/the-headline-reads-spokane-police-department-fully-staffed-what-does-that-mean-to-us/

 

_______________________________

 

 

I wonder who this Job Description was written for????

 

https://static.spokanecity.org/documents/jobs/noncivilservice/2016/10/director-strategic-initiatives-announcement.pdf

 

 

I REPORT YOU DECIDE!!!

Since when is it someone else’s job to “rebuild trust in the department”? Isn’t that the job of a Police Chief?

 

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/oct/13/new-chief-craig-meidl-councilman-breean-beggs-say-/

 

________________________________

City Councilman Breean Beggs said Thursday that Spokane needs an outside agency to help rebuild trust in the department following the protracted hiring process of the new police chief.

________________________________

 

Councilmember Beggs, you abstained from voting to confirm Craig Meidl so now are you saying that the other Councilmembers Fagan, Mumm, Waldref, Stuckart, and Kinnear, were wrong when they voted to confirm Craig Meidl? You must be, because throughout the “protracted hiring process” the candidates were time and time again asked how they personally would “rebuild trust in the department” and time and time again Craig Meidl went through a litany of clichés yet didn’t seem to know what he actually would do to rebuild trust, and now he admits he can’t handle what was supposed to be the number one priority for the new Chief of Police so we are going to throw even more money at trying to “rebuild trust in the department”? How much in the last 10 years have we already spent?

 

According to the Councilmembers who tried to justify their yes vote on Meidl, there is nothing to worry about since we have the good ole COPS/DOJ folks are watching over SPD, and SPD is working hard at complying with their recommendations as well as those of the Use of force Commission. So why in the hell do we need yet another outside agency or consultant to do the job of the Chief of Police?

 

 

 

_________________________________

“It’s been 10 years since Otto Zehm died, and five years since Karl Thompson was convicted, and there are still all these wounds and divides,” Beggs said. “On our own, we haven’t been able to get rid of those.”

_____________________________

 

Well of course, and the answer is simple! No one ever did a damn thing to address the issue! Time and time again the rhetoric from Condon, Stephens, Straub, Dobrow, McDevitt, et al was “It happened, no big deal, put it behind, and move forward”. Which of course is exactly the same rhetoric coming from the mouths of City Councilmembers who voted yes on Meidl despite the fact his Salute, and email were disqualifiers for another independent group who made recommendations as to what qualities a new Chief of Police SHOULD HAVE, and most importantly SHOULD NOT HAVE!

 

If you recall during the “protracted hiring process” and all of the various interviews with Meidl he stated, he even offered to take a demotion as a result of his participation in the Salute because he was the ranking officer present. Who did he make the offer to… did the CC ask him?

 

 

PLAYED LIKE A FIDDLE!!!!

The majority of the Spokane City Council has been played like a fiddle by Mayor Condon since he took office, and it began when Condon ignored the City Charter and appointed Kyle Twohig, of Sneva Snowboard fame, to be the City Engineer. Of course without hesitations the City Council approved the appointment of Kevin Twohig’s kid.

Mayor Condon continues his successful quest to ignore the City Charter, get rid of, or bypass Civil Service and all with the aid of the Spokane City Council.

 

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/oct/13/new-chief-craig-meidl-councilman-breean-beggs-say-/

______________________

“The panel’s purpose is to avoid a conflict of interest: Meidl’s wife, Tracie Meidl, was temporarily promoted to captain in July by Jim McDevitt, who was serving as law enforcement director.”

 

“The panel will include interim Human Resources Director Chris Cavanaugh, City Manager Tim Dunivant, police Lt. Justin Lundgren, former interim police Chief Rick Dobrow and human resources analyst Meghann Steinolfson.”

 

*** I need some help! Is Chief Meidl’s good buddy Justin Lundgren, a “Lt.”, a Major, or an Assistant Chief of Police? The last time I talked to him he was a Major.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/may/05/spokane-police-lieutenant-receives-pay-bump-for-jo/

“Chief Meidl is a man of impeccable integrity,” said Maj. Justin Lundgren.”

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/aug/01/condon-selects-police-chief/

 

 

Public Safety Committee, August 15, 2016

Meeting minutes: meeting called to order at 1:31pm.

Attendance:

PSC Members Present: Chair CM Kinnear, CM Stratton, CM Beggs, CM Mumm, CM Fagan, CM Beggs

Staff/Others Present: Chief Meidl, Assistant Chief Lundgren, Chief Williams, Assist. Chief Brian Schaeffer, Captain Eric Olsen, Ombudsman Bart Logue, Sue Raymon, Officer Hamilton, K9 Dietz

Approval of minutes: CM Mumm made a motion to approve the meeting minutes from July 18, 2016; M/S by CM Beggs; passed unanimously.

CM Kinnear read a presentation of appreciation for our Police Department in light of recent violent events surrounding Police Departments around the country.

 

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/f2a670f3-d28a-4105-af88-1993fdffd28b

 

 

 

______________________

It all makes sense when you consider this!

 

1) HR Director Christine Cavanaugh, was Heather Lowe’s go to person before Lowe beat feet and ran because of the Cotton/Straub Affair, and then was appointed by Mayor Condon to replace Lowe. Of course since she is married to Mike Cavanaugh brother of Joe Cavanaugh the President of the City’s largest employee union, Local 270 so that could be a conflict that doesn’t seem to be a bother to anyone including the CC.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/feb/15/most-spokane-city-workers-earning-more-than/

 

2) City Manager Tim Dunivant, got his big promotion from Mayor Condon back in January…good for him!

http://www.inlander.com/Bloglander/archives/2016/01/15/mayor-david-condon-announces-reorganization-of-spokane-city-government

Well…maybe not so good?

http://www.inlander.com/Bloglander/archives/2016/10/07/state-auditor-dings-the-city-of-spokane-for-million-dollar-accounting-errors

No wonder Mayor Condon and the City Council prefers the Spokesman Review to the Inlander!

 

3) Police Lt. Justin Lundgren, aside from being Meidl’s good buddy who the hell is this guy, and what rank is he on the SPD?

 

4) Former interim police Chief Rick Dobrow, did you ever wonder why this guy keeps showing up over and over when it comes to Meidl, even to Meidl’s big out at the North Precinct, even though he left SPD?

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/feb/05/spokane-police-chief-dobrow-announces-retirement/

 

5) Human resources analyst Meghann Steinolfson, another one of Heather Lowe’s go to gals involved in the Cotton/Straub Affair, and of course along with Craig Meidl was the individual who mediated the Furniture-gate for the City.

https://examplepro.me/2016/08/13/unanswered-questions/

There were several important witnesses who declined to participate in the investigation.

They include:

Frank Straub

Monique Cotton

Nancy Isserlis

Erin Jacobson

Pat Dalton

Mary Muramatsu

Meghann Steinolfson

Selby Smith

https://examplepro.me/2016/07/31/the-saga-of-carly-cortright-part-two/

 

I Just Can’t Help Myself!!

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoLK8wCA-wA

 

 

 

 

______________________

 

YOU WILL NEVER GUESS WHO THE NEW CHIEF IS THAT WAS REFERRED TO HERE:

 

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/jul/15/spokane-police-officials-elevated-to-temporary-com/

 

“If the new chief decides to keep those positions, they would come under the city’s civil service rules. Olsen and King could apply for them through the civil service process, which involves passing a test that is designed for the position and being placed on a list from which the new chief can choose. Applicants who pass the test are placed on the list in order of their scores, and the fact that they temporarily held the job would not give them a higher spot on the list, said Gita George-Hatcher, chief examiner for the city Civil Service Commission.”

 

All of those staffing decisions would be at the discretion of the new chief after conversations with Mayor David Condon, city spokesman Brian Coddington said.

______________________

 

 

I REPORT YOU DECIDE!!!

 

 

Yes, I know… “RIGHTMINDED” might not be a totally accurate description! 🙂

 

It was very nice to see that one City Councilmember Karen Stratton listened to her constituents, the Citizens of Spokane and actually studied the issues surrounding Mayor Condon’s choice of Craig Meidl as Chief of the Spokane Police Department.

 

Apparently Stratton actually studied the issue, the information she was supplied, gave careful thought, and reached the understanding that issues with Craig Meidl went well beyond his participation in the Salute of Karl Thompson as well as the fact that Meidl did not meet the criterion established by Mayor Condon’s own Police Leadership Advisory Committee.

https://my.spokanecity.org/bcc/committees/police-leadership-advisory-committee/

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/oct/28/citizen-committee-formed-for-police-chief-search/

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/jan/27/city-should-look-for-integrity-courage-in-new-poli/

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/8345149e-d8f5-4a31-8a11-2c89720e6ea7

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/ab5c86fa-a3fc-49c6-a7ef-4353a7cf03cd

 

 

 

For those of us that have reviewed and discussed Meidl’s resume, background, and leadership abilities, all of whom have extensive backgrounds in law enforcement a number of questions were developed that would have been asked during the course of an Assessment Center made up of law enforcement professionals. To the best of our knowledge these questions were never addressed during this “Process”.

 

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/8dfe1062-345b-4879-8565-95731b5e0605

 

Here are just a few pertaining to Meidl’s Resume:

 

 

1) Chief Meidl what were your discussions with Mayor Condon in December 2015 regarding the direction of SPD when you met regarding your appointed as Assistant Chief of the Spokane Police Department?

2) Hold Back Question…  🙂

 

1) Chief Meidl, we realize that there is a significant problem in Spokane with Property Crimes including a lot of media attention given to the high property crimes rate in Spokane. Your resume states that as the North Precinct Commander you were responsible for “Assignment of property crimes cases to investigators”. What was/is the average caseload for property crimes investigators on the department and how do they compare with standards established in previous staffing and proficiency evaluations of SPD as well as other Police departments?

_____________________________

 

 

1) Chief Meidl, why in your resume would you include “37% reduction in commercial robberies”, and “21% reduction in robberies of persons”, under the heading “Achieved significant reduction in property crimes”, when as we all know neither category is a property crime?

2) Since January of 2016 a month after you were appointed Assistant Chief and in March appointed “Operations” Chief during the time James McDevitt was doing “something”, we are not sure what, at SPD under your leadership and using your own data reflects things aren’t going as well as crime data is concerned. Some of the increases would be considered significant. Can you explain the increases (some significand) in some of the Part 1 Crime Categories during your recent tenure in a leadership role at SPD and explain your plans to improve?

 

 

________________________

 

1) Chief Meidl, can you explain exactly what the “Special Ops Group (SOG)” is, what their responsibilities are, other than setting up surveillance cameras in various spots in the City, the unit staffing level, make up, and equipment they utilize?

 

________________________

 

 

 

1) Chief Meidl, you state that while you were a “Lieutenant (2007;2014)” one of your responsibilities was as a “Asset seizure and forfeiture Hearing Examiner”, can you please explain exactly what that position entailed.

2) Is it appropriate to have an internal “Asset seizure and forfeiture Hearing Examiner” when the Assets seized were by SPD?

3) In your capacity as a Hearing Examiner did you examine this 2014 case and could you explain how your wife was involved?

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/0cc754c2-0b6f-427c-90ab-77deb0084d1a

4) Since Councilmember Beggs is working on an Ordinance dealing specifically with Asset forfeiture and seizure will you please comment on Walker’s and Arleth’s statements in the “Walker Whistleblower Case” and the direction you will be taking SPD regarding Asset Seizure and Forfeiture?

5) How do you justify the statements you made here in light of the OPO issue?

“If he wants that authority, he’s going to have to get the ordinance changed,” Meidl said. “It’s the law, and we’re all expected to uphold the law, whether it’s labor law or criminal law.”

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/jan/25/use-of-force-case-leaves-questions/

 

 

___________________

 

Noteworthy during last night’s CC Confirmation Hearing aside from Councilmember Stratton’s no vote were sound comments made by Councilmember Beggs, who rightfully abstained from voting. Begg’s pointed out just how flawed the process was, noting that the Head Hunter hired to help find a new Chief of Police did little or nothing to vet the candidates and their actions (Along with the Mayor’s arbitrarily naming Meidl) actually hurt getting good candidates to reapply. He also made it quite clear (Yet somewhat PC), at least from the perspective of many, that the final interview panels were stacked and he wished some folks would have withdrawn. Something pointed out over and over by many folks.

 

This is a list of the members who were on the original interview panels that did not interview Meidl.

https://my.spokanecity.org/news/releases/2016/07/15/police-chief-interview-panels-set/

 

I would hope there were some changes but at this point I haven’t been able to locate the newest panel make up. Hopefully it won’t require another PRR!

 

WILL THERE BE POLITICAL FALLOUT???

 

I would think that would depend entirely upon what transpires in the next two and half years. If major problems develop some CC folks could easily be AGAIN regretting the glowing comments they made regarding Craig Meidl, just as they did when the truth about Frank Straub finally came out.

 

If for example things go to hell in a handbasket Council President Stuckart, if he runs for Mayor will have some explaining to do. If things go to down the toilet early Candice Mumm will also have some explaining to do. Mike Fagan of course could care less, he is probably more worried about the Washington State Attorney General and maintaining the party line than what happens at SPD. I can’t wait to read Amber Waldref’s “Why I Voted for Craig Meidl” letter to see if she just interchanges Frank Straub with Craig Meidl. If someone runs against Lori Kinnear including LaVerne Biel, George McGrath, or Sam Vimes they will have plenty of political ammo. Breean Beggs abstaining was the right move from an ethical standpoint, but also from a political standpoint if he wants to seek election to his CC Seat or the proposed elected City Attorney.

 

I honestly don’t know what to say regarding the “Independent Reconciliation Process” Councilmember Beggs apparently initiated. I hope it isn’t like the Reconciliation Processes I’m familiar with from spending time in some war-torn countries, and hopefully they will have better digs. What was interesting about those places is that the “Commission on Reconciliation” was usually located in the same building as the “Anti-Corruption” Commissions or task forces. I never could figure that one out. 🙂

 

 

TRANSPARENCY???

We need some of that! But did you know that up to this point there is absolutely no way of holding an individual accountable for withholding public information? Someone needs to work at changing that!

 

You have to love George McGrath!!!!

 

I REPORT YOU DECIDE!!!