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New chief to look for trouble spots
By LEANORA MINAI
© St. Petersburg Times, ST. PETERSBURG -- In 1974, Mack Vines inherited a St. Petersburg Police Department in disarray. Crime was up. The department's relationship with the black community was poor. During six years in charge, he promoted minorities and got residents more involved in the department, though he still dealt with his share of racial tensions in the city. After he retired, he took a jog along Coffee Pot Boulevard and thought, "I'm going to return to this city some day." He did more than that. On Friday, he returned to the very job he left 21 years ago. A lot has changed between Vines' first and second tours of duty as police chief, including civil disturbances in 1996. Now that the chief's job is his again, what does Vines plan? He does not have any specific changes in mind yet, but in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Vines, 63, touched on: Keeping community policing. Saturating drug areas with officers. Doing more with the existing staff. "My management style is that I am not a micromanager," Vines said. "I am a detail person. I like information, but I like to place tasks with people. I want them to perform and be productive, creative and innovative. Just make a decision and do it. We don't want them to be afraid of anything." Vines, who worked half of his 41-year law enforcement career in St. Petersburg, said much of what police do is problem-solving. "We must police through empathy," he said. Community policing -- solving quality of life problems such as drug dealing, vagrants and loud music -- is here to stay, Vines vowed. "I have always felt that the community and the police together can solve many problems and contributing factors to discord in the community," Vines said. "During the 1970s, as a lieutenant, I was sent to numerous cities throughout the nation to study efforts being made to more involve citizens in the fight against crime and disorder. Later, the department submitted a federal grant request, which was funded, and team policing, the forerunner of community policing, started in the south side of town." He said there should be no difference in the way officers treat residents, particularly minorities. "The officer's initial approach, not necessarily the citizen's, will dictate how successful the encounter is," Vines said. "If the approach is abrupt, more than likely the reception will be the same." Vines said to fight drugs, he will increase officer presence in known drug-dealing areas through "directed patrols." "We're going to have to address these people who think they can run havoc over these citizens," Vines said. He will find trouble spots by having his staff analyze crime statistics and then assign officers there. As an example, he talked of officers in the Childs Park neighborhood to move dealers off street corners. "If they move, we move," Vines said. "It's proactive, effective patrolling." The Police Department must follow the dealer until the activity ends or the suspect is arrested, he said. Officers also should do field interrogation reports, street interviews in which they ask people their names, dates of birth and other information. Officers pass the information to detectives to compare with descriptions of possible suspects to solve crimes. Vines sees it as an important crime-fighting tool, though the practice has come in for some criticism in the past in St. Petersburg, after records showed that between January 1996 and August 1997 black residents were three times more likely to be stopped than white residents. In addition to fighting crime, Vines will have to sort out a department with some staffing troubles. Many officers have said discipline isn't fairly applied, and the police union is negotiating a new contract and is concerned about raises for officers. Whether problems with morale are real or perceived, Vines said, he intends to talk with the rank and file about their concerns. Meanwhile, earlier this year, a computer analysis suggested that nearly half an officer's day is devoted to free time or activities the department doesn't know about. The findings suggest the number of patrol officers the city has is adequate. But the department needs to make significant improvements in allocating, scheduling and deploying officers. So far, no changes have been made. To Vines, hiring more police officers is not the answer. "You've got to deploy people based on need," he said. "More is not always better. It's much more feasible to manage smarter." Vines said positions in the department that do not require a gun and badge should be farmed out to civilians at lower pay. "I'll be reviewing and reviewing and reviewing issues," Vines said. He won the job after Mayor Rick Baker decided to stick with his gut feelings. "Whether it was calm or crisis, who would I feel had the experience, background, knowledge and temperament?" Baker asked himself. The answer kept coming back "Vines." Vines will begin shadowing Chief Goliath Davis III on Sept. 24. He officially takes over Oct. 5 and will earn $111,400 annually. He also will draw an annual city police pension of $47,750. Said Vines, "I have a real burning desire to get back at the helm of the department and see if there's any way all of us together can improve on what we're doing internally and externally." -- Times staff writer Leanora Minai can be reached at (727) 893-8406 or at
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