Coatesville police, positive news can share headline

Needed reforms, change are coming to the beleaguered department

By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times

When it comes to the Coatesville Police Department, criticism and second-guessing have reigned supreme.  However, citizens would be well-advised to take a step back and focus on some positives.

Yes, amid prolific litigation, leadership changes, union dissension, sex scandals, and criminal allegations, city officials have begun to institute needed changes. Of course, some of those have also generated controversy, such as the appointment of Acting Police Chief James Bell.

Rather than wasting time arguing about whether Bell, 70, who last served as director of public safety at Cheyney University, is qualified to head the department, residents need to remember that his status is temporary.

Debate over Bell’s tenure does not help the majority of officers – especially those who have not been involved in any lawsuits or alleged wrongdoing – do their jobs better.  Instead, channel that energy into improving morale and working conditions for the whole department, which will translate into well-deserved peace of mind for  the city’s approximate 13,100 residents.

Interim Police Chief James Bell (right) chats with Coatesville resident Bryan Clark before a recent City Council meeting. Bell says he wants to make the most of whatever time he has with the department.

Bell said he wished he had come into the position with less conflict, but people are entitled to speak their mind. Besides,  it’s not going to prevent him from instituting reforms that will move the department in the right direction, he said. One involves the addition of a police survey on the city’s web site, which Bell said he asked Community Policing Officer Rodger Ollis to prepare.

The survey solicits assessments on  “the quality of service that the Police Department has provided.” The form seeks details on a person’s contact with the police as well as their reaction to that contact. It’s open to residents or visitors.

Participants can remain anonymous unless they want to be contacted, Bell said, adding that hard copies of the survey are available at City Hall for anyone without computer access. So far, only a handful of surveys have been completed, but several have singled out officers for praise and will be added to the individuals’ personnel file, Bell said. Negative responses will be analyzed for followup action, he said.

The fact that the city is seeking feedback represents a huge improvement over the status quo. And even if some folks use the forum for venting, that could be therapeutic, at the very least. To provide input, visit http://www.coatesville.org/police-department/coatesville-citizens-survey/.

Bell said another initiative involves an outreach to young people. He said members of the department will be encouraged to take time out of their shifts to interact with students at area schools.  He said he does not know how long he will head the department, but hopes he can put some practices in place that the next chief will want to continue.

In the meantime, the city is taking steps to give the department a strong, long-term leader. Last month,  a team of diverse, prestigious volunteers were asked to narrow the field of applicants for the position of police chief. The panel oversaw an unusually  transparent process, which included permitting members of the media to attend the proceedings.

After interviews and discussion, the search committee recommended two well-qualified candidates to City Manager Kirby Hudson, who said he will present his choice to City Council on Sept. 10. Former City Council President Ed Simpson, who met the finalists, said last week that he was “very impressed” with both.

Police officers’ lawsuits and labor issues have substantially contributed to Coatesville’s hemorrhaging of red ink. According to city records, Coatesville budgeted $300,000 for 2012 legal fees. At the end of July, it had spent more than $400,000. With five more months before year’s end, the future looks lucrative for the lawyers, especially because more police litigation is promised.

So far this year, at least two police suits have settled: one in the spring by a white officer who received monetary damages after alleging reverse discrimination, and one last week by four minority officers who accused the department of racial bias.

The contradictory allegations suggest that the city may have been color-blind in its dysfunction. Although that possibility does not erase any wrongdoing that individual officers may have experienced, it should mitigate it and give them a reason to move forward. The department may have mistreated them, but they were certainly not alone, regardless of their skin color.

Those officers unable to forget the past and make the future department stronger should start polishing their resumes. Make life easier on the new chief by leaving before he arrives. Continuing the blame-game doesn’t serve anyone’s best interests.