Some of them “Subject to the operational control of the mayor”mayorChapter 2mayormayorMayormayormayormayormayormayorMayorMayormayorMayorMayormayormayormayormayormayorChief of PoliceChief of PolicePolicePoliceChief of PolicePolicePolicechiefpolicePolice
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TIME TO REFORM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MAYOR !
TIME TO REFORM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT & MAYOR ! Below I’ve paste a comments from the the Conn Post that shows why Mayor Joe Ganim lacks the leadership skills to be the mayor. Mayor Gamin didn’t have the time, respect and sensitivity to reach out to these two families during this tragic lost to these families. The mayor was a total NO SHOW.
Rawls Washington said Ganim’s announcement Sunday , which included an apology to Smith-Fields’ family and her own, was “too little, too late.”
She said actions would speak louder than words, repeating her call for an independent probe. Rawls’ family doesn’t believe the department can do “a fair and thorough investigation,” she said. “We think someone from outside should be doing the investigation.”
The case echoes that of Lauren Smith-Fields , a 23-year-old Bridgeport woman found unresponsive and declared dead hours earlier — and blocks away — from Rawls, whose family has also raised questions about how the case was handled.
On what would have been Smith-Fields’ 24th birthday, her family and friends were joined by hundreds on a march from the police department to the Margaret Morton Government Center, where they called attention to Smith-Fields’ case .
Publisher/Editor Grimaldi introduces the article today by way of presenting Joe Ganim as having the most municipal powers in the State of any elected town/city leader. I haven’t seen such a debate presented to the public, but when I begin to review my own reading of the current Charter, amended three decades ago, theoretically to remove controversies between the relatively power weak Mayor and the former Board of Taxation and Apportionment, I begin to see that the strengthening of the office of Mayor after voter approval, coupled with JG1 as an officeholder with self-serving and corrupt behavior in mind, and with no independent fiscal, legal or accounting support for Council members who had interest to work one or more issues for the benefit of taxpayers has taken us to the chaos of the day.
The Mayor is not interested in hearing from qualified and dedicated citizens especially if learning and expressing diverse opinions is part of their charm. So he does not respond. In fact when there are folks reaching out to him in the time of COVID he has called folks in the know in another City rather than contact local leaders who have signaled their interest in participating in City progress, especially Police, City employment practices, and housing issues.
I value genuine Openness, Accountability, Transparency, and Honesty, when they are practiced by organizations. These have not been values practiced regularly or even often in the time of Ganim2. And whether Ganim2 enjoys his work and playmates or yet has a plan for progress through purposeful agenda and disciplined oversight, is frankly unknown by the public.
Why are Boards and Commissions not declaring their pride in what the City is accomplishing? Is it because they, along with voters find too much rushed or unexplained? Do they value their personal integrity too much? Has the foul air of revelations and allegations in Superior Court cases gotten too much for our silent majority? Or is it best represented in the military phrase, ” YOU CAN’T SHINE S__T!” ? Time will tell.
I found Ganim 1 to be a good mayor, someone who had time to listen and to discuss issues, even if there was a disagreement there was a open door, that was G1. Ganim 2, Joe is a totally different mayor, he’s too busy, there’s no open door or followup, he doesn’t have a true feeling and understanding of certain issues and what’s worse he doesn’t care.
Ron, I can listen to your opinion of G1 with respect though I did not know about him in those days. I was focused on my professional insurance work and lots of activities for the benefit of others.
Back in the day I knew little about how city government functioned but I was aware of the $One Million transfer from some type of Port Authority account to purchase life insurance for a small group of City employees and saw the self-concern of the leader without making a case for deserving. Like so many other things that the FBI discovered, proved in court, and with which Ganim has disagreed. But disagreement led to seven years away from the community, loss of those youthful years, with home and family and a return with a plan to rise again. So the second chance run was supported in the community, but then instead of proving how much he learned in the years away about caring for others, he ran for Governor, and the stripes of G1 were revealed in G2.
Consider the years he will have been #1 in Bridgeport when he finally departs the stage, if you will. What will keep his name raised in wonder and awe in the future? Will it be inappropriate development near the shoreline with increasing reach of tides and storms to sites like the Bassick project re-engineering? Will the opportunity for regular swimming pool development and maintenance be a reason for water safety programs for all youth or the tearing out and decommissioning of pools leaving the largest City in the State with no swimming teams? And City Hall oversight? Where has been success for vision and funding because his administration was organized for effort, effectiveness and ultimately, excellence? In your considered opinion, Ron, what will time tell?