 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Police chief says city manager made a mistake
By ANNE LINDBERG © St. Petersburg Times, published August 16, 2000 PINELLAS PARK -- Saying the city manager got his facts wrong, police Chief David Milchan wants Jerry Mudd to retract part of a memo that warned the chief and his staff against intimidating officers. Milchan will not get his retraction. Mudd said Tuesday he stands by his charge that Milchan mentioned two officers by name when trying to find out if they had been to the city's personnel office to complain about the Police Department. "I stand by my initial memo, and it would be very inappropriate for me to comment at this time," Mudd said, reaffirming that his recollection is that the chief mentioned the officers by name. The dispute stems from wider problems in the Pinellas Park Police Department that came to light a few weeks ago after three female officers filed state and federal complaints alleging they had been sexually discriminated against and harassed. Two male officers soon after lodged union grievances alleging they were part of a "hit list" of officers targeted for firing. Most of the officers on that list, they said, were department veterans who were seen as disruptive because they voiced their opinions. A study of exit interviews showed that department and city officials should have been alerted to departmental problems long ago. Complaints of sexual, age, and racial discrimination and harassment go back at least five years. Other complaints included claims of favoritism and retaliation. Mudd responded to the situation by asking the City Council to approve spending about $41,000 for a climate survey of the Police Department. The survey is supposed to allow officers and other employees to freely express their views about morale and other issues. The consultant plans to suggest solutions. Mudd also wants the City Council to hire a retired judge to look into the allegations concerning a "hit list" and other issues. That could come before the council as early as next week. With at least two outside investigations pending, Mudd has said he wants officers comfortable and secure enough to speak freely without fear of retaliation. But something happened during a conversation between the chief and city manager that made Mudd decide he needed to put that in writing. According to Mudd, the chief said he knew two officers had complained to Human Resources about the Police Department. Mudd said the chief named the two officers. He also said the chief later contacted Tom Owens, the head of personnel, to ask about the officers. Mudd described that in a memo to Milchan that warned the chief and his staff that officers are to have a chance to freely express themselves without fear of retaliation. Milchan, he said, was to guard against even the appearance of intimidation. Milchan said that's not the way it happened. According to his memo to Mudd, he never identified the officers. Milchan said he couldn't have because he did not know who the officers were. And when he called Owens, the chief said, he never used any names. Milchan said his conversation with Owens was overheard by police Capt. Michael Vetter and Lt. Dorene Thomas, who were in his office at the time. Those two officers would back him up, the chief wrote. Then Milchan asked Mudd to review his notes and write an addendum to his memo deleting the allegation that the chief had mentioned the officers' names. "I'm not saying the city manager is lying," Milchan said Tuesday. "I'm simply saying that he made a mistake, and that's why I said in the memo, please check your notes. Nobody's infallible. I make mistakes, too. There's nothing more than that."
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times South Pinellas desks |
