Minutes 09/10/1968 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

229 Neither the City Manager nor the Pertsmouth Polilce Department can recruit more Negro policemen. Applicants for the Police Department are solicited BMtke Civil Service Commission without regard to race, through news- paper advertisement. Examinations are given on a competitive Basis for all applicants for entrance into the department. Au eligibility list is established BM the Civil ServiceCommission based on the grade attained on the examination. All promotions in the Police Department are based on examinations given by the Civil Service Commission, It is necessary, for every policeman to take this exam for promotion to a higher rank. Again, the man receiving the highest grade is listed first on the eligihil}ty roster. In every instance, the top man on the eligibility roster is selected for promotion to the particular rank for which he is eligible. The color of a man's skin has no bearing on recruitment and promotion in the Portsmouth Police Department. c. The establishment of a public relations task force within the P&lice Department to keep policies, innovations andlnew positive image before the public. The Portsmouth Police Department has a public relations program with five officers actively participating. During the past year, the department has'presented 110 film showings, 40 lectures, 40 demonstrations, 5 panel programs and 5 tours of the Portsmouth Police Department, as well as a presentation of a traffic safety pro- gram in every elementary school in the City of Portsmout. These programs include all phases of police work, and are available to all citizens and no group or organization has ever been refused. (1) Employment Of a personnel public relations director to give guidance to all City departments to help improve their dealings with thepublic in general. Consideration was given to the establishment of a personnel department during the study of the 1968-69 budget. Due to financial limitations, it was not included in the current budget. Further study is being done on this at the present time. d. Develop communication with mass media to ex?ese untrue or unfair practices of police. We have never condoned any unfair practices of the police, and certainly try to expose any untrue alle- gations as well. For the purpose of ironing out difficulties and problems between the public and the police, it is much more expedient and effective to make a formal complaint to the Chief of Police. Every complaint, no matter how triv~l, is impartially investigated and if the complaint is valid, proper action is taken to prevent any further occurrence, and the officer at fault is disciplined. If the complaint proves to be a fab- rication, then no action is taken. The City Manager's office and the office of the Chief of Police are always open to anyone who wishes to file a complaint against a practice by the Portsmouth Police Department. The people of Portsmouth, no matter who they are, will always be heard if they have a legitimate complaint. If the do not wish to lodge a formal complaint in person or in writing, then ~erhaps there is not adequate grounds to complain. This is the position we have to assume. As an example: At the time the meeting was held with the committee, four written complaints were presented to me concernin an instance that had occurred in the Pinners Point section of the City. The complainants were concerned about the manner in which the police officers had searched their premises after a shooting had occurred in this area in which a police officer was shot in the leg. The Assistant to the City Manager and the Deputy Chief of Police were assigned to investigate these com- plaints. They visited the residents of the area and four complaints were received on Roberta Street; two of these complaints-being from the same house. Seventeen other citizens advised that the police were as courteous and well-mannered as they could be, and that they were ~11 pleased with the way in which the police conducted themselves. The comnlainants were asked if they desired to prefer charges against any of the police officers. One complainant elec%ed to do so, and she has been given the opportunity to prefer these charges in writing. e. Develop a City-wide police-community committee with representation in each ward, in order to have grass root participation. f. Develop a City Manager committee including blacks chosen by blacks to serve in laison capacity between citizens of the community and City Manager dealing with Police Department. I have listed e and f together as they both deal with establishment of committees. I have conferred with the City Attorney's office on the above two recommendations, and b~ve been advised that it is beyond the power of this office to appoint any citizens committees. In closing, I would like to quote from a paper prepared by R. E. Anderson, Assistant Professor of Police Science, Sam ~uston State College, as follows: · Our police are not perfect, but they are doing a commendable task under almost impossible conditions. ThSy deserve more support than they are getting. Small but powerful vocal groups are attempting to redefine the traditional role of law enforcement in our society. Not satisfied with a permissive attitude that prevails throughout much of our society, they are mntent on developing permissive law enforcera~nt agencies that will overlook certain violations of law. It has been said that a community tends to gat the type of law enforcement that it desires or deserves. The solution would appear to lie in total community involvement in the problems of ~aw and order. No Police Department can be really effective without the support and cooperation of the public it serves. Cities are caught directly in the middle of wkat has been termed a social revolution in our country. The ~olice are being used by some groups, abused by other groups, and ignored by the great majority of citizens who don't want to get involved.~" Motion 6~ Mr. Hastes to refer to the next open conference of the City Council (September 50, 1968] an~ that a copy of this report ~e sent to the Chairman of the CitiZens Adivsory Committee, was adopted, without dissenting vote.