This is an old email, but still interesting, nonetheless.
The bolded parts in the following email sent from Chief Picken’s are supposed to “establish an agenda and direction for the Chief’s Advisory Board”. In hindsight, however, we know that the issues brought forth from the past two meetings are identical to the issues from meetings in 2009 . What is perhaps the most telling about this email (besides the obvious attempt to pretend that you are actively working to better the department) is the timing of its release; it happens to coincide with the time that the department was fretting over the negative postings made by its personnel on indeed.com.
From: John Pickens (Chief of Police)
Sent: Friday, September 06, 2013 2:57 PM
To: DL.ORG.DPS.PSD
Cc: John Pickens (Chief of Police)
Subject: Chief’s Advisory Board
I established a Chief’s Advisory Board in 2001 to serve as a mechanism to improve communication by providing accurate information and a forum to address and resolve issues. The board was not established to circumvent the chain of command. The board as it was established has not met since 2009. There has been quite a bit of change since that time, (promotions, changes in personnel, new hires, etc.). I would like to re-establish the board with more of a focused driven direction. Members of the advisory board would be bring forth ideas to establish new programs, suggestions to improve processes, and other relevant suggestions that would assist me with continued progress of the department. I would like to focus on the positive things but I also realize that there will be other issues that will need to be addressed as well. I anticipate adding representatives from the sergeant’s group at a later date.
The group consists of:
Officer DB
Officer RG
Officer DG
Officer JG
Officer BK
Corporal KF
Corporal MP
Corporal LK
Police Aide KG
Police Aide PW
Police Aide BF
Dispatcher AK
Please get in touch with any of the representatives to provide information and suggestions. The first meeting will be scheduled very soon. As always, I appreciate your assistance. Please contact me if you have any questions.
John L. Pickens Chief of Police Arizona State University Police Department
It’s all for appearances. 2009 was a long time ago and what’s changed? What’s changed after the new meetings? All nada.
It gives the hopeful troops the idea that someone cares and that’s it. 2009, 2013, and we will most likely have this conversation again in 2017. Everything is aired out in the open, gathered up, dismissed, and promptly shelved to be rehashed later.
When the assistant chiefs come out to have mandatory meetings with everyone see what they say and how much changes in 6 months, 1 year, and draw your own conclusions. My guess is you won’t be surprised.
It was in session for two meetings this year and canceled. On the first meeting they were told to bring up issues, but they had to be positive, they had to have solutions. OK, how can you have solutions for positive issues? Are you the Grinch? Perhaps the most honest thing ever said by the chief. I noticed some positive aspects to our workplace, how can we combat this?
After the first meeting they members were told the chief appointed someone to attend on his behalf because he won’t be attending any more, after the second one they were told there won’t be another meeting. Many of the department issues were professionally presented with solutions and promptly ignored. What a message to the troops, give us nothing to believe in. I enjoyed reading the published meeting minutes on here. Nice interception, score.
[…] However, in September of 2013–directly following the indeed.com and blog scandals–the Chief’s Advisory Board sprang back to life. Pickens’ sent out a department wide email promising to use the board to resolve issues and […]
[…] solving within the department. This is a complete lie! The Chief’s Advisory Board was resurrected in September 2013 after being defunct for approximately five years. The board came back into existence coincidentally […]