The Columbus Civil Service Commission meeting of January 19, 2012 left more questions than answers for the officers of the Columbus Police Department. The meeting, marked by confusion, anger and at least one citizen filleting the department, could not have come at a worse time for Chief Selvain McQueen. With crime perceived as being out of control, it was an untimely show of discourse.
Chief McQueen, under an extreme amount of pressure from citizens, the Mayor and City Council, is confronted with a young police force, an overdue need for promotions from within the rank and file, and a perception that crime is as bad as it has ever been. Add a citizen, Leon Speck, ripping the department as incompetent and uneducated, and a civil service commission ill-equipped to handle the situation, and it was a recipe for fireworks.
The officers have a right to be upset. As Officer Wade Beard said, “It feels like a slap in the face,” noting that most of the nearly 20 officers in attendance had supported McQueen as chief, because he was the inside candidate — and now he wants to go outside the department to promote.
The discussion, heated at times, was finally halted when Ward 2 Councilman Charlie Box requested the idea be sent back to the City Council for review. It was a bold move by Councilman Box and the correct one. The situation was getting out of hand, and someone had to take leadership in correcting the situation. Charlie should get credit for that leadership.
In the meantime, Chief McQueen should consider the following:
- Promote the officers who are already on a legitimate list that was given to the Human Resources Director months ago. No process is perfect, but it was approved by the Civil Service and the City before it was administered. The Mayor even helped choose a few of the individuals who sat on the selection board. As soon as these promotions are made, emotions will simmer.
- Have a plan on how and when you would hire a person with the same rank into the department. A person who is a captain of a three-man department may not be ready to be a captain at the CPD. A sergeant from a rural, 20-man department may not be ready to be a sergeant in an urban, 70-man organization. There must be some orderly fashion in choosing who or who doesn’t get the privilege of coming to the CPD with rank. This must be done before going back to the Civil Service to have your idea approved.
- And finally, if you want to get a new head of the Criminal Investigation Division or a new assistant chief, allow for officers inside the department to apply. It was an opportunity that you were afforded and will take the uncertainty out of the process.
Numerous times, Chief McQueen has stated he wants to promote from within. As soon as he does, the uncertainty will settle, and the department can go back to fighting crime.
NOTE: There will be more about this topic in Wednesday’s print edition of The Real Story. It appears that some high-ranking city officials have trouble remembering what they did last summer.
Joseph St. John
A/K/A Mr. MoJo Rising
rspublishing.wordpress.com 
January 29, 2012 at 2:50 pm
The so called assistant police chief already cost the city money by bringing suit for discrimination. Now he costs more money from accidently shooting an individual in the course of duty. ACCIDENT?? A so called highly trained individual shooting an individual by mistake. He wants to be chief??? He should be relieved of duty.