Make The Police

Commission Accountable

To the Editor:

I am a candidate for the Newtown Police Commission. One of the reasons I am seeking election is my belief that the Police Commission has become careless and casual in carrying out its duties. This includes not following the Freedom of Information Act, not complying with Roberts Rules of Order, and hurrying decisions without adequate public deliberations.

Let me provide the readers with a few examples.

1. Two weeks ago the commission changed its policy on commenting on letters to The Newtown Bee. The minutes of the commission indicate they never placed this decision on the agenda, had no public discussion on the matter, and recorded no commissioner votes. The Freedom of Information Act was apparently completely bypassed by these actions.

2. Motions are made and passed with unanimous votes. In the last 18 months all but one motion was passed unanimously. Surely five independently elected officials might or should occasionally disagree on an issue!

3. When Vollmer Associates presented their Queen Street area traffic recommendations in June, the commission asked only a few questions and deferred discussion to their regular meeting of July 10. However, in a rush to judgment, a special meeting was held during the July 4th holiday period. At this July 5 meeting, with minimal discussion, the commission unanimously passed motions on over 40 recommendations in 45 minutes. Recently the commission acknowledged that they were not sure what the above 17 motions made on July 5 actually referenced.

4. Inaccurate motions are approved without adequate review. Last month the commission approved their response to the Queen Street traffic recommendations, in which they approved the location of a cross walk at the wrong intersection.

5. Finally I have learned that the Police Commission’s response to Vollmer Associates Queen Street traffic recommendations was not even written by the commission or any of the commissioners. After the taxpayers spent $50,000 on the study, the Police Commission could not even find the time to write its own response.

The Police Commission has gotten used to little public attendance at their meetings, and as a result has become resistant to public input and apparently resentful and reluctant to conduct their deliberations in front of the public. Democracy isn’t easy but it does require officials to conduct their business and decisionmaking process in public.

If I an elected, I am committed to having a Police Commission that discusses issues in public, shares its thought process, encourages public input, and dedicates adequate time to examine issues prior to making decisions. I am committed to making the Police Commission accountable to the residents of Newtown.

Bruce Walczak

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                                       August 22, 2007