Job interviews, court trials, first dates, and the seventh game of play off series are quirky things that were it not for the anticipated reward offered, would be avoided like the plague.Four fine candidates presented themselves as the final four in the selection process for a new Public Safety Director. Each brought special skill sets and attributes. What commission found most attractive was the modern day ability to spin straw into Gold.
You know the Story. The Brothers Grimm penned it, If not allow us to refresh the details. A Miller brags to the King that his daughter is so clever she can spin straw into gold. The king demands proof and the maiden is locked in a room with straw and a spinning wheel.As luck would have it she is befriended by a curious visitor with an unlikely name who really can spin straw into gold.. In exchange for a trinkets he helps her out.
Unfortunately that only whets the King's appetite for more and the girl moves to bigger and bigger and bigger rooms of straw to be spun into gold. Eventually the King hits her with a monster order. If she fulfills it he will marry her and make her queen.Sad but true the girl is now out trinkets to pay off her accomplice. So he asks for her first born if she becomes queen, and he reminds her that such an event may never happen. She agrees and when the event does occur she despairs. In the spirit of generosity however her friendly gold spinner offers an out. If she can guess his name he will cancel the debt.
Fairy tale critics and financial advisors have observed that Rumpelstiltskin and similar fables follows a predictable pattern of greed,more greed, and still more greed until an apocalyptic end occurs.
The first candidate to be interviewed was Bruce Smith a Consultant to the Chesterfield Township Police Department and former Public Safety Director of Oak Park. He offered the City courage and said " Chief " was where the buck stopped, and tough decisions where made. Commissioner Zambricki asked for an example and Smith cited having to lay people off. Later Commissioner Stuart Sherr told Downtown Birmingham Magazine that he believed that,"Smith was better fit for the community (than eventual hire David Hendrickson) "I am not saying anything against David Hendrickson and now that he is chosen I will absolutely support him. "
Commission Sherr is five months into the job a job he was appointed to, has yet to work up the nerve to vote against his fellow commissioners On the budget although he did not approve of the deficit he voted with everyone else in a unanimous decision. On matter of the Public Safety Director he dissented, abstained or ducked a chance to cast a vote for the man he believed would be best fit. So much for courage.
If that sounds harsh I suppose it is. The saying goes there is nothing worse than a reformed drunk. In the not so distant past I was told by one wiser than me that I was put on a board to make decisions not to equivocate or "abstain."
Public Safety Director candidate and acting Chief Terry McDonnell offered the City Commission plain speaking, familiarity with the community, and a job well done. He offered no simple answers or platitudes. In Warren Michigan that approach might have played better than it did before the City Commission of Bloomfield Hills who prefered to be dazzled.
He talked about Police force as semi military organization which it is and the chain of command. That chain of command starts with the people of the City, then City Commission, then the City Manager, Public Safety Director and so forth and so on.
The commission seemed oblivious to this fact when grilling McDonnell on past indiscretions of the department.and the 2010 "save our dispatch from out sourcing campaign" some public safety officers participated in.
"Your name was there," Commissioner Pat Hardy said to McDonnell who agreed it was. He said was standing for fellow officers. What was not said or possibly remembered by either was the fact that at the time (prior to the 2010 City election) while the Mayor, City Manager, and others discussed outsourcing with the Township, the only information the public had came from Public Safety. Had the City Commission or the Mayor been more forthright or consulted with public input the whole matter might have passed without incident.
The commission seemed oblivious to this fact when grilling McDonnell on past indiscretions of the department.and the 2010 "save our dispatch from out sourcing campaign" some public safety officers participated in.
"Your name was there," Commissioner Pat Hardy said to McDonnell who agreed it was. He said was standing for fellow officers. What was not said or possibly remembered by either was the fact that at the time (prior to the 2010 City election) while the Mayor, City Manager, and others discussed outsourcing with the Township, the only information the public had came from Public Safety. Had the City Commission or the Mayor been more forthright or consulted with public input the whole matter might have passed without incident.
The Commission did pay McDonnell the compliment of asking what his salary expectations were. He said they weren't particularly high. When pressed he said something to the effect of a "a smidge more money but not a lot" which is the perfect patois for the City of Bloomfield Hills where talking about actual dollar amounts is considered extremely gauche. When that prompted blank looks on the face of the commissioners, McDonnell added he wasn't going to take a pay cut to be the chief.
Again ironic bluntness would have brought down the house in Warren but here it went over the heads of our commissioners who seem to be very money conscience of late.
The third candidate to be interviewed was Canton Deputy Chief Bruce Kerr, a quiet thoughtful man who gave quiet thoughtful answers. Unfortunately the interview processes now in it's beginning it's third hour was losing a bit in thoughtfulness. One commissioner who was either appointed to be or just took the opportunity to serve as the devil's advocate rattled off a list of presumably who's who in Canton and demanded "what would these people say about you ?". That afforded Mr. Kerr the perfect squelch of the evening with "most of the names you mentioned wouldn't say anything because they are no longer there." The ones who were he presumed would be most favorable.
On the subject of mentoring Kerr was strong stating that he was proud to have mentored the current Chief. The DA did not like this and said, that mentored got the top job over the mentor. That did not concern the thoughtful Kerr who said it fit with how long he wanted to stay in Canton and the commitments he wanted to make at that point in his career.
It has been said that our City Commission in it's quests for answers looks for ones that agree with what they already think. In that sense Warren Police Captain David Hendrickson was just what the Doctor ordered. A 26 year veteran of the Warren Police Department (the second largest department in the state. Warren is the Third largest city in the state.), Hendrickson is by far and away the best candidate on paper. Hiring him is quite a coup for a city of 3800. He is intelligent, articulate, and talented in a number of areas like dealing with unions, City commissions and a department of 236 police offices.
What is not to like ? Well there is still our City Commission and it's desire to save money at all cost. Most of Captain Hendrickson's interview was spent talking not about Public Safety but about how the City could save money in the Department of Public Safety.
That is what the Commission wanted to hear and that is what Candidate Hendrickson provided them. Nor was David Hendrickson shy on self superlatives. That is the smart thing to do if you want the job. Of all the Candidates he was the best prepared.It was obvious he had done his home work.When asked if he liked the shift hours now in place for Public Safety Officer Henrickson said something to the effect of not as rule but conceded they seemed to be working for us.
Recently our City Commission slashed $300,000 of Police and Fire "nice to haves" from the 2013-14 budget to reduce the starting deficit from a negative $400,000 deficit to a mere $100,000 in the minus column. Among the items cut was a squad car and an extraction devise know was the "Jaws of Life." We are told that in a recent traffic accident the police had to use a sawzall which is a less than a $100 power tool sold at Home Depot to free an injured passenger. We are also told that the police lack entry devices and managed to get to an injured man in his home when a relative was found who knew where an external hide a key was kept.
During his interview process Hendrickson impressed the commission with his self described ability to write grants for necessary equipment like squad cars.
One grey area that emerged was that Hendricken had done some police work for private residents in with City Officer Noel Clawson. The Commissioner who raised the point asked if Hendrickson as Chief would see activity as a conflict of interest, Hendrickson said he would and such activities as would cease as Chief.
What is interesting is the fact that our city commission and our Public Safety Department knew of such moonlighting but did not oppose it which prompts another question.
Why not ?
It would seem to be a conflict of interest for any off duty City of Bloomfield Hills Police Officer to accept hire by a private citizen thus implying that the Police Officer is acting an a representative of City law enforcement when in fact he is serving another master.
Through out the interview process of prior candidates the accreditation of certain regulating boards and bodies was mentioned and discussed. Candidate Henrickson dismissed them by saying, "for one they cost money" He also thought they are nor all that important.
Captain Hendricson is also a police officer as opposed to public safety officer meaning he is not trained in fire or EMS. Henderson however pointed out that many communities in state are going to police run public Safety Departments.
Again ironic bluntness would have brought down the house in Warren but here it went over the heads of our commissioners who seem to be very money conscience of late.
The third candidate to be interviewed was Canton Deputy Chief Bruce Kerr, a quiet thoughtful man who gave quiet thoughtful answers. Unfortunately the interview processes now in it's beginning it's third hour was losing a bit in thoughtfulness. One commissioner who was either appointed to be or just took the opportunity to serve as the devil's advocate rattled off a list of presumably who's who in Canton and demanded "what would these people say about you ?". That afforded Mr. Kerr the perfect squelch of the evening with "most of the names you mentioned wouldn't say anything because they are no longer there." The ones who were he presumed would be most favorable.
On the subject of mentoring Kerr was strong stating that he was proud to have mentored the current Chief. The DA did not like this and said, that mentored got the top job over the mentor. That did not concern the thoughtful Kerr who said it fit with how long he wanted to stay in Canton and the commitments he wanted to make at that point in his career.
It has been said that our City Commission in it's quests for answers looks for ones that agree with what they already think. In that sense Warren Police Captain David Hendrickson was just what the Doctor ordered. A 26 year veteran of the Warren Police Department (the second largest department in the state. Warren is the Third largest city in the state.), Hendrickson is by far and away the best candidate on paper. Hiring him is quite a coup for a city of 3800. He is intelligent, articulate, and talented in a number of areas like dealing with unions, City commissions and a department of 236 police offices.
What is not to like ? Well there is still our City Commission and it's desire to save money at all cost. Most of Captain Hendrickson's interview was spent talking not about Public Safety but about how the City could save money in the Department of Public Safety.
That is what the Commission wanted to hear and that is what Candidate Hendrickson provided them. Nor was David Hendrickson shy on self superlatives. That is the smart thing to do if you want the job. Of all the Candidates he was the best prepared.It was obvious he had done his home work.When asked if he liked the shift hours now in place for Public Safety Officer Henrickson said something to the effect of not as rule but conceded they seemed to be working for us.
Recently our City Commission slashed $300,000 of Police and Fire "nice to haves" from the 2013-14 budget to reduce the starting deficit from a negative $400,000 deficit to a mere $100,000 in the minus column. Among the items cut was a squad car and an extraction devise know was the "Jaws of Life." We are told that in a recent traffic accident the police had to use a sawzall which is a less than a $100 power tool sold at Home Depot to free an injured passenger. We are also told that the police lack entry devices and managed to get to an injured man in his home when a relative was found who knew where an external hide a key was kept.
During his interview process Hendrickson impressed the commission with his self described ability to write grants for necessary equipment like squad cars.
One grey area that emerged was that Hendricken had done some police work for private residents in with City Officer Noel Clawson. The Commissioner who raised the point asked if Hendrickson as Chief would see activity as a conflict of interest, Hendrickson said he would and such activities as would cease as Chief.
What is interesting is the fact that our city commission and our Public Safety Department knew of such moonlighting but did not oppose it which prompts another question.
Why not ?
It would seem to be a conflict of interest for any off duty City of Bloomfield Hills Police Officer to accept hire by a private citizen thus implying that the Police Officer is acting an a representative of City law enforcement when in fact he is serving another master.
Through out the interview process of prior candidates the accreditation of certain regulating boards and bodies was mentioned and discussed. Candidate Henrickson dismissed them by saying, "for one they cost money" He also thought they are nor all that important.
Captain Hendricson is also a police officer as opposed to public safety officer meaning he is not trained in fire or EMS. Henderson however pointed out that many communities in state are going to police run public Safety Departments.
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