There’s a Police and Fire Commission meeting tonight, at 6 PM. The PFC meets quarterly, but will meet twice this month, both tonight and (according to tonight’s agenda) again on Thursday, November 14th.
There are three main parts of tonight’s meeting: (1) election for two PFC offices (a vice president and a secretary), (2) a presentation – but apparently not discussion until next week – of draft PFC policies and a proposed Commissioner’s Oath, and (3) a closed session to discuss an investigation of allegations against a PFC Commissioner.
The election of officers is an ordinary event, but likely should have happened at an earlier meeting. It looks to be the simple clean-up of an oversight.
Of the allegations against a Commissioner, I’ve written before, briefly, to caution against an approach based on speculation. (See, Common Council Session of 9.17.13: Police and Fire Commission Dismissal Proceedings.) Whether this matter will be resolved or prove ongoing, one cannot be sure. It’s reasonable to let whatever process is involved run its course before addressing it further.
There’s an irony in this, to be sure: I’ve been an occasional critic of police leadership in this city, but it’s surely some of those who have been reflexively supportive of that leadership who are most interested in the details of an investigation. A waning cadre that’s not thought about ideas but about connections, not policy but people of influence, is a group that will, in times like these, turn to base curiosity over good judgment.
There’s a third part of the agenda, about the proposed oath, procedures, etc., and their significance for sound policy in our city. These policies deserve careful consideration and review.
That’s a worthy topic for a time between now and the next PFC meeting.