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New mayor inherits police brass, union rift
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 29, 2001 ST. PETERSBURG -- Cedric Gordon, the police major who oversees safety in the city's predominantly black neighborhoods, took election day off. But he still walked a beat. He held signs and knocked on doors Tuesday to get voters in black precincts to elect mayoral candidate Rick Baker. "It was a tough few weeks, but I'm happy with the results," said Gordon, a 21-year veteran of the St. Petersburg Police Department. The decision by Gordon and other top black officers to take vacation or other leave time off to campaign for Baker illustrates how important the election was to them. The push by police union president Jack Soule to raise thousands of dollars for Baker's opponent, Kathleen Ford, a harsh critic of Chief Goliath Davis III, illustrates the same about the union. Given the efforts made by both sides, and mayor-elect Baker's pledge to move forward with Davis as the city's police chief, is it possible for the union and police administration to put the mayor's race behind them and get along? "The door is open with Baker to listen to our issues," said Soule, a St. Petersburg patrol officer. "We're going to give him an opportunity to be a mayor of all the people." From his pocket, Soule donated $500 to Ford. He also got Police Benevolent Associations across the state to kick in another $7,500 for her campaign. In a letter to Pinellas County union members, Soule said he would put up campaign signs, walk door to door and wave signs on a corner. "In other words, whatever it takes!" Soule wrote to Pinellas County PBA members in March. In the letter, he praised Ford for many things. Among them, her support of "a true management review of the police department." Throughout the campaign, Ford, a frequent critic of Davis, criticized his management of the police department, but would never say whether she would keep him on if elected. Soule asked colleagues to invest in their future. "I would like to see each PBA member contribute $100 (one off-duty job) to Kathleen's campaign," Soule wrote. After Ford's defeat Tuesday, Soule dropped by Baker's victory party. "We had a nice chat," Baker said. "He pledged to work together, and I think that's good." Soule and Davis, who once met regularly for business lunches, have been in a stalemate since last June. At their last meeting, Davis abruptly ended the session with a facilitator there to help the sides resolve their conflicts. When Soule was asked Wednesday if he could stem the conflicts with Davis under the first new mayor in 10 years, he said he did not know. Davis, who serves at the will of the mayor, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Top black officers -- Maj. Gordon, Assistant police Chief Luke Williams and Sgt. Al White -- all said they helped get Baker elected to further harmony in the city. "Over the past several years, we've come a long way in terms of the way the community perceives the police department," Gordon said. "They trust us more. They're working with us to reduce crime, and I did not want that to be reversed." Gordon and the other high-ranking black officers appeared in a photo on a Baker brochure titled, "In next Tuesday's race for mayor the stakes are very high . . ." "I wanted the community, especially the south side, to continue to have respect for the police department," White said. "We built a good rapport with the inner-city, and I want to keep that rapport developed." Black voters got the same advice from ministers on the Sunday before the election. At Bethel Community Baptist Church, one of the city's largest black churches, members had heard the Rev. Manuel Sykes applaud Baker's outreach among African-Americans. Sykes also told his congregation on Sunday that the stakes were huge in the mayoral race. "If the wrong leadership takes charge of the city's administration, in no more than two years we'll have more civil unrest," Sykes told the congregation on a recent Sunday. "That's not a threat. That's what I truly believe in my heart." When Soule was running for sheriff last year, Davis issued a two-page memo to all personnel, asking employees to remain "mindful of how the public might perceive our words and conduct. It is important that we do not become embroiled in political activities in our official capacity." Ford campaign worker Lorraine Margeson said it was unethical for the department's top officers to openly campaign for Baker. She said it intimidated people. "It makes people feel if you're not supportive, you won't have protection or attention from them because you weren't on the right team," Margeson said. "Is it proveable? No. But it's inappropriate."
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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