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Whitewater Police Department Re-Accreditation

Update: 6/17, 6:58 p.m. At our Common Council meeting tonight, Chief Coan predictably lauded his department’s position (and implicitly his leadership) as one of only 16 accredited departments in the state, out of over 600. He didn’t say how many even bothered to apply for accreditation. (See Point 1, below.) One more point, not minor…

Go Nuclear!

America finds herself beset with two fossil fuel concerns. We worry that we are damaging the environment by using too much fossil fuel; we worry that there is not enough fossil fuel to use. There are alternatives, including one we have foolishly ignored. America began the atomic age, but she has since abandoned a committed…

The Register’s Three-Part Police Series, Part 3

Part three of the Register‘s police series: “Going Beyond the Bad Guys.” In many respects, this is the hoped for result of all policing: going beyond the bad guys. A community benefits most from a close relationship between its officers and its residents. I have posted concerns and suggestions about police leadership (especially, the goal…

The Register’s Three-Part Police Series, Part 2

Recently, the Whitewater Register ran a three-part series on the Whitewater Police Department. Here’s my assessment of the second part of that series, entitled, “A Diverse Community Presents Challenges.” The Register lists three groups as contributing to the diversity of our community: (1) Hispanics, (2) students, and (3) juveniles. The inclusion of juveniles as a…

The Register’s Three-Part Police Series: Part 1

Recently, the Whitewater Register ran a three-part series on the Whitewater Police Department. I know of no occasion when they’ve run a series like this. The series offers no explain for its length or timing. The three-part series did begin three weeks prior to the visit of a group that provides accreditation to local police…

Accreditation

I’ve received questions about my view on the re-accreditation effort of the Whitewater Police Department under Jim Coan. What should matter most to a person (or an organization) is actual conduct and statements, not the assignment of certification, accreditation, or external honors. The latter cannot supplant or erase the former. Accreditation should be the effortless…

Common Council Meeting for April 15, 2008

The Common Council meeting began with a swearing in ceremony for three council members. Two were returning incumbents (Stewart and Taylor) and one was a new council member (Binnie). Council President. The next action was an election for Council president. There were two nominees: Jim Stewart and Patrick Singer. Stewart is a retired employee of…

Common Council Meeting for March 18, 2008

In our small city, we have a Common Council of seven members, and a city manager appointed by the council. Of our seven council members, six have been elected, and one sits as an appointee to fill the remainder of a vacant term. They do not sit in session alone: the city clerk sits in…

To the Municipal Opponents of Free Speech

Good afternoon, readers from across Wisconsin. Earlier this Sunday, the Wisconsin State Journal‘s veteran reporter, Dee Hall, published a story describing my recent experiences as a blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It’s on the front page of the State Journal, and is entitled, “Whitewater Police Pursue Anonymous Blogger, Critic.” Her story recounts how City of Whitewater…

Police Commission Compliance: The Email Reveals Concern

Frequent readers know that, last week, I ran a series entitled, “Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin,” in which I posted public records that showed how public officials used their resources, time, and effort against the lawful, pseudonymous commentary. (For that series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.) There is another…