UPDATE: Police Chief Chris Moore sent San Jose Inside his answers to the 10 questions Sunday evening. We will be posting them soon. Thanks for your patience.
A number of readers have asked what happened to the weekly Q&A series San Jose Inside rolled out in September. Well, not a whole lot. We waited for our third participant in the series, San Jose Police Chief Chris Moore, to respond to some of your questions. And then we waited a little longer. And then a little longer.
From the time SJI asked readers to submit questions on Sept. 30, to when a list of 10 questions were submitted to the chief on Oct. 3, up until the end of October, a number of phone calls and emails were exchanged between SJI and SJPD. During that time,SJI was told that the chief was working on answering the questions and was almost finished—he just needed more time to complete them.
An Oct. 13 email from Jason Dwyer, a public information officer for SJPD, who, along with Officer Jose Garcia, participated in the discussions, passed on a message from Chief Moore:
“I greatly appreciate your patience in awaiting my answers to the community’s questions. It has been an extremely busy and turbulent week for our department. In the past few days, we have investigated three officer involved shootings (two of which involved SJPD personnel), as well as a double homicide. Understandably, I have been focusing much of my time on these matters. Thank you again for the opportunity to interact with the public.”
Now, it goes without saying that the police chief’s day-to-day public safety responsibilities are more important than community relations. For these reasons, SJI held out hope that the chief would finish the questions once things quieted down. But more officer-involved shootings took place, a motorcycle club battle began and protests at City Hall required extra attention. In a million-person city with a short-staffed department, there is always going to be more work to do.
SJI probably should have moved on to a new public official, as well as posted this rundown of events sooner. We were holding out hope, though, that Chief Moore would find a quiet moment to answer the questions from SJI readers.
We will pick back up with the series following the Thanksgiving break.
Below are the 10 questions that were sent to the chief.
What are you doing differently from Rob Davis to make sure officers understand how to work with San Jose’s diverse population—and with mentally ill residents?
— Curious
You have stripped personnel from investigations to staff patrol, creating a situation where very few reported crimes will get the necessary follow up investigation. Why didn’t you redistrict the patrol division and scale it back to 12 districts again? This would have eliminated the need for the Southern Division command structure. If part of the reason is the inability to quickly and efficiently reprogram the CAD system, why was this system implemented, and wasn’t this done on your watch in BTS?
— Joe
Why is the police department still handwriting reports or at minimum having to produce hard copies of each one? There has been a quest to implement a new RMS and VFR system since 1998 and not one has been implemented. What are you doing to rectify this problem, and will you hold people accountable if this system proves unworkable yet again?
— Eddie
Chief Davis said the city of San Jose needs about 1,700 officers to stay on par with the national average. Today there are fewer than 1,100 officers. It seems possible that this number could easily get down to 800-900 officers. How do you anticipate the department will function at that level? Thanks for agreeing to answer tough questions in this column.
— question
How can we everyday citizens assist our police department through community policing? Also, please give us an idea of what NOT to do when we see a crime in progress. Thank you.
— Kathleen
What percentage of police officers live more than 50 miles from San Jose? San Jose has reduced its police officers to a level that barely covers the city during normal times. In the event of an major disaster or emergency that affects thousands of residents, how many of the officers living beyond 50 miles, with roads blocked/airports closed, will be able to respond for duty within four hours to a major emergency like a earthquake, explosion, chemical/toxic spill, etc.? What are the city’s emergency plans, if any, to supplement city police force now that we have significantly reduced police force if other police department/mutual aid are also engaged in disaster or emergency work in their cities and are unable to assist San Jose?
— Concerned D6 Neighbor
You ordered ICE agents to go home. You stated the reason was because the ICE agents did their job and stopped gang homicides “completely” (no gang-related homicides since June, the same time the ICE partnership began). How many “gangbangers” did ICE deport to achieve this milestone?
— Where to Start?
A couple of weeks ago, on at least two different occasions, you told officers that if the sick time buyout was lost/taken away you were going to retire because you could not afford the loss of $200,000.00+ dollars (the value of your sick time). In light of the POA’s recent pension proposal to the city—it does away with the sick time buyout—are you going to retire if the city accepts the POA’s proposal?
— Where to Start?
Can you tell me how many supervisor/command staff positions have been demoted a step in rank and pay as a result of officers being laid off? How many detective positions have been cut as a result of officers being sent back to patrol in order to meet minimum staffing levels?
— Richard
Many voters and residents do not understand the working relationship between police chief and your boss, the city manager. Please explain how much or little the city manager affects police department policy, budget, police procedures, salary/benefits or administrative issue.
— Wondering
Where is public accountability of Police Chief and his boss City Manager Figone ?
Don’t they believe they have a public responsibility to answer public’s questions ?
Weak and ineffective Council has let politically powerful city administration do what they want with few questions and no accountability to voters elected people’s representatives during time of budget crisis, layoffs, increasing crime rates, and fewer city services
>Where is public accountability of Police Chief and his boss City Manager Figone ?
Is it any coincidence that as soon as the city managers office (with some help from the chief of police no doubt) starts drafting laws against the Metro’s #1 source of ad revenue(pot clubs), that we start seeing attacks on them?
I’m just being an obvious troll here. Pointing out the obvious.
Public Accountability is one thing but, Accountability to a blog??? SJI and its followers might be taking themselves a little too seriously.
——Prof Vaf Fancullo A.B.D.
OCCUPY SAN JOSE IS SUPPORTING US MORE THAN THE MAYOR, CITY MGR, THE POA, POLICE ADMIN. FIRE CHIEF, FIRE UNION ETC. GO OCCUPY SAN JOSE GO!
Supporting “us”??? I guess that is ok as long as you are good with the significant loss of credibility “we” suffer when anything associated to Occupy supports “us.”
Those are the most weak and softball questions ever asked! Not one question regarding the biggest problems in the department like, lack of staffing preventing officers from using their time off, lowest morale in sjpd history, biggest lack of leadership in sjpd history, chief Moore being MIA at briefings during all the officer involved shootings (actually, Moore is MIA all the time), and the biggest question of why Moore dosn’t have the stones to stand up to Figone and tell her your going to make department related decisions because of your law enforcement experience (well, knowing moore’s lack of true and real law enforcement experience, it’s still more than Figone’s no experience) .
Moore comes to midwatch briefings about two times a month, usually on Monday nights and always has a Q&A session. He even goes to the Monday night sergeant/staff meetings and continues the Q&A. midnighters Midnighters of all generations ask and he answers.
MIA at day and swing briefings? Don’t know what to say. We get more info from him than we do from any other entity in the PD save the POA.
I
I work midnights on Monday and never see him. The very few times he’s been there I have never seen any type of open discussion. Where do you get this false information?
Officer, which is it? You never see him??? – or – the very few times he has been there…???
If this is how Chief Moore runs the police department then we are really in trouble. In fact we are in trouble with the mayor already bringing the once proud department to its knees. My suggestion to the chief would be take your money and walk away in shame.
I would encourage everyone to view protectsanjose.com to get a true idea of what this major and city manager is doing to the department and how he is moving forward with his March ballot measure.
Retired,
too little too late. We should have been fighting everyday. We gave the Mayor everything he asked for. Really sad to see. The once proud department and association a shell of itself. I agree with you. Take your money and walk. It’s over!
Heh mods normally aren’t around on Saturday, or at least they aren’t for my comments. What makes you so special? (or insider?
these questions could have been answered in 30 minutes.
SJI, there were several questions regarding the new vehicle impound policy? Why did not one of them get asked? Softball… And he still can’t answer them
Just wondering if the Chief wears Figone’s panties….
This guy is the Von Raesfeld of the Police Dept . he is nothing but a puppet , the City Manager pulls his strings. He has not only sold out his troops but he has actively aided the City in dismanteling this once proud department. it used to be one of the nations finest , now it is the lowest staffed in the nation. This chief , along with this Mayor, City Manager & council all need to go. they have singlehandedly destroyed this city. they speak in circles, tell half truths and full-on lies, the saddest part is that the residents of San Jose have allowed all of this to happen.nobody wants to get involved, no one wants to do their homework. it is so much easier to just believe what the mayor says as truth. PLEASE START ASKING QUESTIONS , DO SOME RESEARCH , READ SOMETHING OTHER THAN THAT TOILET PAPER “THE MERCURY NEWS”
Darryl
Your name really doesn’t mean reality. Someone told me my name was mentioned in your post. As I have stated before in this forum, as Fire Chief I stand by the decisions and accomplishments by myself and my staff and believe the Department is in the best place it can be based on the real facts of the budget deficit. Never once did the City Manager, either Les White or Deb Figone dictate the actions of Fire Administration, but the buck stops at their desk and their decisions based on input from their Department heads is final. Difficult budget times call for difficult decisions with difficult discussions and the Fire Department has been able to survive the last 10 years of City budget reductions and maintain a minimum level of response, not the desired level or optimum level I would like to see. Several large grants awarded under my administration for safety equipment as well as the recent SAFER grant have helped the Department, all with the approval of the City Manager and Council. There is still a ways to go to get to the desired level of staffing and I hope the union and City can come to a mutual resolve for the safety of the citizens and firefighters. The continued great service provided by the Department is a tribute to the men and women of the Department and their dedication. Interestingly, all Field Operation layoffs could have been avoided in 2010 with concessions that were less than what was eventually agreed to in 2011. Mr. / Ms. Really, I agree with you that individuals should gather all the facts, not just the spin from one side or the other and you should do the same. Maybe you can start if you can list the full-on lies you reference in your post.
Darryl or whomever alerts DVR when he is mentioned on SJ Inside
“There is still a ways to go to get to the desired level of staffing and I hope the union and City can come to a mutual resolve for the safety of the citizens and firefighters.”
THERE IS A WAYS TO GO??????? Can you please enlighten the readers with your idea of where staffing in the lowest staffed Fire Department in the County and lowest staffed of the to 30 Metro Cities should be in your expert opinion? How low can it go?
Wouldn’t this require the city to actual bargin and negotiate?
Darryl the destroyer
you lie! you hired a fire academy and swore to them their jobs were secure, that you would not lay anyone off.Then you retired right before the recruits were given pink slips.No one denies that there are tough issues to deal with , it just dont expect to get lied to by your own people. you can play the part all you like , it means nothing . you are absolutely , without a doubt the worst , most disliked chief in SJFD history . you could have taken a stand for your troops , you could have went out fighting.you could have left with some respect and admiration , obviously you didnt. you chose to kiss up to City Manager and use your knowledge of union inner workings against your own. im sure none of this bothers you while you’re driving around in your new Massserati
this is getting old. you will NEVER own up! Every Single member of that Fire Academy swears you walked in & swore you were not going to lay them off . They must ALL be mistaken . You can be Proud of yourself, Because nobody else is . You are Oblivious to the Fact that No One still working can even utter your name without folowing up with some colorful language . Again you want to lay blame on union leadership , when it was you who assisted this City Admin in decimating this once Proud and Great Organization , No thanks to you. it is supposed to be 1 FF per 1000 , we are so far below that it is scarey . If it makes you feel better go ahead and continue to pat yourself on the back………………after you stabbed us in the back.
To Re Retired, interesting take on things. As I have asked others in this blog before, if you are going to call me a liar, please print the lies. There is plenty of written and recorded information from my tenure as Chief for you to research. I never promised the recruits their jobs but I did state Fire Administration would do everything possible to ensure employment and we did. With an 8.9% concession in June 2010, all the positions and the four engines and truck would have been saved. I think that was a bad choice by the then union president not to recommend acceptance of that. It would have saved all the positions, however it was out of my control as Fire Chief.
Secondly, you state I used my “knowledge of union inner working against your own”. This statement is absolutely false and I never did such a thing. That is a complete miss statement and I am proud of my six years I was elected to the Executive Board and never used my inside knowledge of working on the Executive Board to hamper the union. Again, if you are going to make such a blatant miss statement, please provide proof. Lastly, in regard to my retirement, if you retired in the last few years we did so under the same rules, I had just less than 33 years in San Jose and the retirement system, well over the maximum of 30.
For Ernest Observer, a good number for San Jose staffing to work towards would be about .85 per thousand. This is based on the Department, the fire problem and the infrastructure of the City. This is a little under number for metro Departments on the west coast which was about .93 per thousand while I was Chief. This number may have changed with the budget reductions experienced by most Departments, shift schedules etc. I am a firm believer of four on an Engine and think some trucks in San Jose should operate with five. As I state earlier, I hope both sides can come together and negotiate in good faith.
To re retired. Everyone is entitled to their opinions as long the facts are understood. I do know what I said to the academy and Fire Administration did our best to keep everyone employed. The assurance I gave them hinged on the then Local union leadership to come to terms with a pay reduction, something they did not do until a year later. That is not to lay blame, just fact. I am thankful they all had the opportunity to be rehired several months later knowing some decided to go to other Departments and I wish them all long healthy careers especially those coming back to San Jose. The following is a quote from the 2010 budget documents found with just a simple Google search: “The proposed reductions are significant and if concessions or other structural deficit solutions cannot be achieved, the utilization of Dynamic Deployment will allow for a better response of the remaining resources and is the best solution for our Community and Firefighters.” Darryl Von Raesfeld, Fire Chief
As for the staffing levels, 1 per thousand may be a little high compared to metro departments on the west coast, but I fully agree now and as I did as my time as Fire Chief that the staffing in San Jose is very low and needs to be increased and Fire Administration worked very hard on increasing staff all the way up to the 2010 / 2011 budget. The Department achieved the highest level of staffing in its history in 2008. However there are budget constraints that must be overcome, especially with the economic issues of the last couple years. If you think there were better realistic solutions to the challenges of the 2010 / 2011 budget reductions I would love to hear them. I have been on both sides of the fence and I now that with rational leadership both sides can come together to find a workable solution. I wish the best to the current Union Leadership and City Administration.
Darryl,
Your “Dyanmic Deployment” was a catastrophic failure. There is no more “dynamic deployment” today than there was ten years ago – simple move-ups to cover glaring service holes during significant events. Why – because it didn’t work. Apparatus had to be permanently relocated throughout the City to provide any type of coverage because dynamic deployment was deplorable.
Maybe you should also include your quote about shutting down Station 30 and how there would be almost no impact. Instead, response times in that area skyrocketed and another Truck had to be moved there. A truck without any water… covering up the problem for EMS, but still leaving a gaping coverage hole for fire attack.
Maybe you should also include your “data” about shutting down the busiest truck in the entire department, ridiculously claiming to residents that it only goes to three fires a year.
Your Dynamic Deployment, as the ‘best solution for the community,’ set this department up for disaster.
Those left behind are taking 10% pay cuts, which for many come on top of 8% cuts, on top of layoffs on top of increased healthcare costs on top of significantly increased pension costs. On top of reduced truck staffing on top of apparatus closures on top of station closures. On top of evaporated training budgets, on top of obliterated administrative support. On top of rotating “D” shifts, apparatus brown-outs, and regularly running short. That is where we are **starting** before facing the cuts planned ahead.
Ideas you could have done… secured a more stable line of department funding, created revenue-generating services, worked collaboratively with firefighters to create more efficient staffing solutions, promoted competent senior staff, fostered a stronger relationship with the community, expanded service offerings, lowered operational infrastructure costs, restricted hiring in the sight of impending layoffs, secured federal grants, established a profitable regional fire academy, created a profitable education center for state fire courses, obtained outside expert consultation on how to make the department more efficient, examined consolidation, etc. etc.
I, too, wish those few who chose to return to San Jose “long healthy careers”, because it looks like they along with all of us will have to work much, much, much longer and if they get catastrophically injured attempting to save someone’s life – they simply get fired.
How is your new Maserati? Please bring it by the car show fundraiser again, it was pleasant having you show it off to all of us. We are quite happy for you.
Thank you for your public letter offering to give up your 3% COLA and your free healthcare in order to solve the city’s structural problem. Oh wait, no sorry, you are “wishing the best” to the current employees to fix all the costs of your pension. Sorry, my mistake.
So let me get this straight you want everybody to remember YOUR lies. You truley are spineless!( have no idea how it holds up that huge mellon).go ahead blame union leadership for not listening to you.Also dont get it twisted the recruits that came back had no other option, those that did..chose to work in another (BETTER) city.Why would they come back here when they’ve been lied to and disrespected by you and this City. Save the excuses nobody buys it
Solutions, you post some good information and then go on the personal attack with untrue information. First off, Dynamic Deployment was the start and to be used if concessions were not accepted as was the case. The use of AVL, computer data is the trend in the fire service and most likely will be in place in the coming years. Several Departments like Dallas, Seattle and others have been implementing similar systems. System Status Management, Dynamic Deployment, Alternative Response or whatever the name is in the future for the Fire Service. Dynamic Deployment did allow the Department to reach its goal of 8 minutes 80% of the time with an unfortunate large decrease in resources. It was also put in place with safeguards and monthly monitoring to make changes needed, which it sounds like is happening. As for the data and background for the closing of companies you need to look at the full write ups available in the budget documents. The three responses you mention for the truck I believe relate to being first in at fires. The total response numbers are in the budget documents as is the justifications for the recommendations put forward.
As for the ideas you list they are good ones and let me state we did most of them, see your listed ideas below with what the Department did in parenthesis. Secured a more stable line of department funding (worked on this in several areas, reviewed charging for certain responses, had discussions on a Fire Facilities Fee program to fund our infrastructure and early discussions on a public safety fee), created revenue-generating services (Heart Safe City Program is a viable revenue generating program that had my full support), worked collaboratively with firefighters to create more efficient staffing solutions (Deployment Committee was in place and functioning and providing good information), promoted competent senior staff (I did and am proud of the Senior Staff that was in place), fostered a stronger relationship with the community (had a very strong personal or Senior Staff presence at all community events and even with a weakened Pubic Education program we got line resources out to many events), expanded service offerings (hard to do with reduced budgets, but Heart Safe City was an attempt), lowered operational infrastructure costs (after 10 years of budget reductions, mostly all at the Administrative level, not much left but we did present a creative funding alternative for the apparatus replacement program), restricted hiring in the sight of impending layoffs (I felt it better to have the funded positions filled than to rely on overtime and all positions were filled prior to the proposed drastic reductions, also they could have been saved in 2010 with an 8.9% concession), secured federal grants (more Federal grants under my administration than any other time prior, also sent more Department personnel to review grants than ever before and placed a SJFD representative on the Bay Area UASI Approval Authority), established a profitable regional fire academy (this has been looked at but very long range, but we did keep the proposed site at the Fair Grounds alive for a future Training Center which would provide the size needed for a regional training academy), created a profitable education center for state fire courses (re-established the Accredited Local Academy and offered more State Fire Marshall Courses there than ever before), obtained outside expert consultation on how to make the department more efficient (used several consultants in my four years, but remember that consultants must have a funding source and go through an approval process if using City funds. Used consultants in the area of management training, worked with outside vendors regarding charging for certain responses, used ex State Fire Marshall to assist with Fire Prevention Business Plan development, outside consultant used to finish and review the strategic plan which directly relates to Department efficiency) examined consolidation (worked on two consolidation proposals with local Departments, neither was successful).
Now to the personal attacks you post. I never have had that car at the annual car show, I have had my old mustang at every annul show and will continue to participate and support this event. As for the 3% COLA and healthcare, I am with all the retirees in trying to find a solution to our vested rights and would hope you are not expressing that all retirees should forgo their healthcare and COLA. Again, I hope the firefighters can find ways to get through these very difficult budget times and I do understand the difficult decisions that have been made.
Damn you just cant stop patting yourself on the back!I guess in your mind you can do no wrong. How Pathetic you are , you are more than willing to stand up and take credit , but not willing to admit your mistakes , faults , Deceptions . Obviously you have NOT been a true Firefighter in a long time . Because the first thing a Probationary Firefighter learns is “Own up to your mistakes and/or admit fault . Own it and Then learn from it!”. You are a weasel in every sense of the word! So go ahead enjoy your Maserati , but dont kid yourself into believing that anybody wants to see you around the station or any fund raiser .
To Re Retired. There are lots of things I would change or do different and I have always stood up to my mistakes and we all make them. However, when unidentified people in this blog print misleading or wrong information I will stand up for the truth. As Solutions response put forth good ideas before making personal attacks, I thought it important for people to know that there was work and effort in those areas. As I have asked you in this blog before, if you are going to call me a liar, please print the lies. There is plenty of written and recorded information from my tenure as Chief for you to research. I will always use my name for posting and be held accountable for everything I write, not hide behind the anonymity of a pen name. Also for your previous post where you mentioned those previous San Jose Firefighters went on to BETTER departments, I would argue that most ended on three person companies in the Departments they went to, not the four person Engines that San Jose staffs and I know San Jose will continue to be an exceptional Department as they work through the challenges ahead. Nothing but respect for the men and women who provide the great service to this City.
Darryl
you mean the truth as you see it. unfortunately SJFD has to deal with all of your blunders. listen nobody , but nobody looks at the “Von Raesfeld ” years as a ggod time in the history of the SJFD. You were a puppet , you were in over your head , you had no idea how to lead.you NEVER once answered any direct questions on “Cheifs Chat” you danced around topics and spoke in rhetoric.Your standard answer was ” I dont have that information in front of me …….so Ill get back to you on that”. true leaders lead from the front and protect their troops at all cost . qualities you are not familiar with. so please just drive off into the sunset, you’ve done enough harm to SJFD
To Re Retired, the truth as I refer to it is supported by the data and facts. It’s ironic, the ex union president once wrote an email to me stating “you cannot hide behind the data”. However my decisions were based on the facts and data. I do not see the years from 2006 to 2010 as great years either for the Department, but for different reasons based on the economic situation and other issues which made it difficult to manage. As for the “Chiefs Chat” you brought up, which was monthly live broadcast to all the worksites, you state I “NEVER once answered any direct questions”, but I beg to differ. I did answer the questions directly providing accurate information on the topics from budget to operational issues and I know at times the answers were not what some people wanted to hear but they were accurate. They were all recorded so they can still be reviewed. The one or two times over the two years we did live monthly interactive Chiefs Chat when the technical questions required accurate numbers, they were researched and answered either on the next broadcast or directly to the individual. I thank the PIO’s who assisted with bringing the live interactive format back to the Department and stand by my answers as truthful and accurate.
Spoken like a true Puppet
another puppet, great just what your firefighters need! Boy does Deb have your @#$%.
Can SJI ask Fire Chief William McDonald to the next Q & A participant?
If he doesn’t accept the offer will that also be disclosed?
Thank You SJI for the explanation of this situation.
You held up your end of the deal. He did not.
The Chief’s failure to follow through on his committment perfectly demonstrates the complete disconnect that exists between the Government of San Jose and the People of San Jose.
Frankly, I wasn’t at all surprised. My prejudiced, bigoted, unreasonable, hateful, grumpy, profiling, pigeonholing, unfair, preconceived notions about this guy have been 100% validated. Big surprise.
Another reason why the mercury news does not print anything regarding the police department unless it is negative.
Why is it the Mercury News will publish a front page article of a corrupt San Jose police officer who got her job back on a technicality. And yet there is not a peep about an outstanding Vallejo officer who was shot dead by a bank robber at the conclusion of a car / foot pursuit? This former Marine leaves behind a wife and three siblings while trying to protect his community. His family deserves better, and we deserve more responsible reporting.
You will never see this in the paper!
Agree that the Mercury News seems to have a very anti police policy.
Thank you for voicing this.
give the guy a break. He was probably out of town.
Perhaps now, citizens here understand a little of what it is like to have an absent Chief,…
Dear Admin,
What happened to the name/email fields on the post a comment form?
When is the POA coming out against this Chief?
Unfortunatly the POA will be silent. The POA and it’s leadership are falling just like the department. When it comes to the POA and it’s dealings with the city I ask, ” are you going to keep barking little doggie or are you going to bite”! That quote tells you the POA is all talk and no action!
Sandra,
After the last vote I have to wonder. I think you are right. Sad to see. Things are really going south.
The problem is that this Chief is an academic and lacks the requisite skills to be an effective Chief. His resume is burnished with all kinds of academic achievements that look good and impress people but scholastic achievements do not make an effective Chief. This agency was in desperate need of someone who can make hard decisions, support the rank and file, defend the agency from biased reporting from the Merc and someone who won’t get into bed with those fringe groups that are determined to dismantle the agency. Instead Figone and Reed hire an errand boy devoid of any backbone and someone who would rather hide in his office than lead from the front. No wonder that so many officers are applying to work elsewhere and generally don’t give an F anymore. The fault lies squarely on the shoulders of Moore. He may have inherited a bad situation but no one put a gun to his head to accept the position and if he is so brilliant then he should have been clear eyed accepting this position. He has further damaged the operations of the agency with his recent promotions and the elevation of his recent Asst. Chief.
His refusal to answer the questions posed reveals his lack of spine and also shines a light on his culpability on the failures to implement upgrades to bring the agency into the 21st century. Hard to answer questions when it illuminates ones own failures.
So Chief, in closing, go eat another donut, put on another 50 pounds and then retire out on a medical leave. Your continued presence only reminds the rank and file of your failings as a Chief.
hahahahahahaha! but seriously it would be EVEN more funny , if it wasnt true
If Chief Moore is so busy fighting crime that he cannot answer ten questions from the community, how did Chief Moore find the time to schedule the following events:
1) Attend a news conference on November 3rd at the Mexican Consulate in San Jose urging immigrants to report hate crimes.
2) Speak at San Jose State’s kickoff of the 2011 Day of Service on November 4th.
3) Attend a PACT lunch gathering on November 9th to discuss the ” difference between ‘illegal and undocumented” and other immigration topics.
4) Attend the welcome reception on November 13th for the 6th annual Women Leaders in Law Enforcement Training Symposium.
5) Speak to the Berryessa Citizens Advisory Council Meeting on November 14th about the” latest developments in the San Jose Police Department.”
6) Participate in KLIV’s Town Hall meetings the first Monday of each month
The evidence is clear Chief Moore has set aside time to interact with the public. Chief Moore owes the community an honest response why he has decided to not answer the questions.
When is POA Political Eunuchs going to push back politically or are they just going to take layoffs, pay cuts , pension reductions, more layoffs, pay cuts , pension reductions etc ?
For those who don’t get it
“A eunuch ( /ˈjuːnək) is person ( organization ) born male most commonly ( politically ) castrated, “
“Castration was typically carried out on the soon-to-be eunuchs without his ( organization’s ) consent in order that he might perform a specific social function; this was common in many societies. “
“Over the millennia since, they have performed a wide variety of functions in many different cultures: domestics, singers, government officials, military commanders, and guardians of women. (politicians) or harem servants. ”
The silence is deafening, and reveals more than mere words ever could have. Ironically, no answers are the answers.
Hey Chief,
You demand your officers to have a domestic violence or sexual assault report done by the end of their patrol shift – or face discipline – but you can’t even answer a couple questions that are shorter than one of those reports? What a joke. You are the worst morale killer…. Quit already, and please don’t promote Chief Ngo…. another morale killer. thanks!
It was a good effort to try and get public officials (elected and unelected) involved in local policy discussions and so forth.
In terms of what happened or didn’t happen, I’ve noticed a “bunker” mentality has taken hold at City Hall the last 10 years where the pesky “public” needs to be kept at arms length with security barriers, controlled access hallways and all the rest of the security stuff that makes folks “apart” from their customers/citizens. 15 years ago I was able to call and email the city manager and get questions answered and people following up. The last couple of years all my city interactions have been one way with people feeling empowered to ignore letters, emails or phone calls “because they are busy dealing with a budget crisis” and so don’t have time to interact with an ordinary resident or someone doing some academic research.
So I’m not surprised it ended this way, only those perceived as important or powerful receive the attention of our leaders and in political calculus, they don’t have anything to gain by interacting with or responding to common people who are not affiliated with a powerful lobby or action group.
I don’t know what’s more disappointing: that Chief Moore has chosen (or been instucted) not to answer questions from both the public AND his chain of command (myself and others) or that the questions chosen are such softball questions. There were some serious questions regarding policies, staffing and crime rates which were posed and none of which were selected by the staff of SJI.
SJPD is in a time of crisis right now. It is suffering a conspicuous and embarrassing lack of leadership at the top, an ineffective executive board at the POA, a frontal assault by City Hall on its credibility, work ethic, value and the future of the rank-and-file, and staffing levels and policies which are hamstringing its ability to police the city effectively.
San Jose needs effective, principled ethical leadership – in City Hall, at the Police Department, and at the POA hall. Unfortunately, there’s no indication that we will enjoy any of that in the near future.
THIS POA BOARD WILL NOT ENTERTAIN A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE. They believe that they can only engage on one battlefront at this time, not two. Though the Chief does ZERO to support officers to our city hall hawks (Reed, Figone, etc…) he loves dancing with minority and/or fringe groups and calling it “defending the troops”. I call it BS.
Really,
You seemed to come out of your shell and kick the last chief when he was down. Name one thing you have Won. Ray Charles could out shoot you guys. You just said it yourself. The Chief does Zero to support the officers! Get a clue!
Get a clue? How so? I agree with you. To be clear, I am in no way defending Chief Moore, aka Harvey Milktoast, or this POA Board, that SHOULD put this Chief on notice with mention of a NO CONFIDENCE VOTE.
What do you think of the POA Pres leaving? Funny how he and the Attny are leaving RIGHT AFTER THE ELECTION. Wonder if they know something we don’t know. Maybe something about the election?
Name one battle, skirmish “tag your it” event you won. I guess your right. Keep out of the arena as you will get your A++ kicked again and again and again.
LOL, good point. I love the term: “Recession Negotiations” too,…
We’re working to resolve the commenting problems on this page ~ Editor
SJI,
need to fix name for comment
Chief,
It has been so long do we even need to hear back from you. VERY disappointing. Not a good way to run a department.
At least another POA board member is trying to protect the department.
Turn on any local news program, or read any local newspaper and you will likely find Mayor Reed pitching his pension reform plan as enthusiastically as Ron Popeil pitches his Chop-O-Matic on late night television. Relentless in his pursuit, he is now waving next year’s projected budget deficit of $78-$115 million like a bloody shirt.
In his November Newsletter, before moving on to more important issues like gifting millions in city owned assets to the A’s, he quickly dismisses a pension reform proposal presented by 5 of the city’s unions, including police officers and firefighters, which could have saved San Jose taxpayers nearly a half billion dollars.
To explain his decision, Mayor Reed indicates that the plan would provide zero immediate savings in the next fiscal year. This assertion is ridiculous on its face.
Would police officers seriously be willing to move into another pension plan with a lesser benefit, requiring them to work an additional 5 years, give up their sick leave payouts and reduce their cost of living adjustments if it saved no money?
Just one aspect of the plan, the POA’s offer to forgo arbitration on whether their 10% pay cut is one time (just for fiscal year 11/12) or ongoing, would have saved the city $30 million next year and every year going forward. Please click here and review the proposal for yourself.
Additionally, the mayor has chosen to adopt new actuarial assumptions, which no other city or pension plan utilizes, that effectively make San Jose’s future deficit situation look worse. This is what he means in his November Newsletter when he says many of the savings in the union proposal were erased by, “changes in assumptions to reflect modern conditions.” The very mention of the term “actuarial assumptions” has probably put some of you to sleep. This is a complicated issue, which can easily confuse a casual observer, and the Mayor is using this complexity to his benefit. The facts are that the cutbacks are significant and the savings are huge.
Why would he want to do this you ask? Mayor Reed made it clear long ago that he had no intention of negotiating any part of HIS pension proposal with employee groups. Whether we are talking about pension reforms, or the medical marijuana ordinance, our Mayor has an inability to compromise—his mantra of governance can be summed up as “my way or the highway.” While I find this mentality extremely troubling, his false characterization of our pension proposal is just beyond comprehension.
Mayor Reed has repeatedly said he values city employees, but just has trouble paying for them. Actions speak louder than words. All that City employees feel coming from this mayor is open contempt and disdain. I sure don’t feel valued based on the following section from Reed’s Pension “reform” ballot language:
Section 9: Disability Retirements
…
(a) An employee is considered “disabled” for the purposes of qualifying for a disability retirement, if all of the following is met:
(i) An employee cannot do work that they did before; and
(ii) It is determined that the employee cannot perform any other jobs described in the City’s classification plan because of his or her medical condition(s); and
(iii) The employee’s disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.
In other words, according to Section 9 (a)(ii) of the Mayor’s plan, if a police officer is shot during a bank robbery and is confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life, she would not get a disability retirement as she might be able to wheel herself into the mail room to sort mail.
That’s not reform Mayor Reed, that’s contempt for those who put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of your constituents.
Mayor Reed has clearly adopted a win at all costs mentality over this issue, and has no problem sacrificing some truth here and there to achieve his imperious view of the greater good. Sadly, the route the Mayor has chosen will result in long legal battles, which ultimately could see the city saving no money, all because Mayor Reed is unwilling to partner with the City’s employees to collaboratively find solutions. Whether it’s a new brand of math bought in to make his case look stronger or direct misrepresentation of the facts, it’s all become business as usual for Mayor Reed.”
See protectsanjose for more
This is the kind of BS and misinformation that the city puts out and of course the Mercury News will print this, I am sure they will not print my rebuttal.
__________________
City pensions: It’s no wonder we’re in a mess
I left last Tuesday’s San Jose City Council meeting feeling discouraged, wondering, “How did this happen?”
My feelings were precipitated by our city’s future pension obligations. Next year, the city will spend almost an equal amount on police and fire pensions and health care as it does for police and fire salaries. With an average starting pension of $119,000, paid medical coverage for life, a guaranteed 3 percent annual cost-of-living adjustment, plus a guaranteed return on the pension investments, it’s no wonder we are in this mess.
Our police and fire retirees certainly deserve a fair and reasonable pension. But what they actually receive far exceeds what is reasonable. It is upsetting to me that their union representatives rely on legal arguments rather than reasoning to justify their unwillingness to give an inch.
Mike Culcasi
San Jose
_____________
Average starting (it does not go up) pension in NOT 119K( I sure wish it was) unless you high on the command staff.
Most public safety officers do not work 30 years to max out when they retire.
3% COLA is included and not on top of the pension.
Medical is not free, most pay thousands a year plus co-pays and prescriptions.
There is no guaranteed return on the pension investments to the retirees.
Mike, quit drinking the cities cool-aid.
POA,
seems SJI does not want to publish your pensions reform proposals.
please get your message out that this mayor wants to crush unions:
urn on any local news program, or read any local newspaper and you will likely find Mayor Reed pitching his pension reform plan as enthusiastically as Ron Popeil pitches his Chop-O-Matic on late night television. Relentless in his pursuit, he is now waving next year’s projected budget deficit of $78-$115 million like a bloody shirt.
In his November Newsletter, before moving on to more important issues like gifting millions in city owned assets to the A’s, he quickly dismisses a pension reform proposal presented by 5 of the city’s unions, including police officers and firefighters, which could have saved San Jose taxpayers nearly a half billion dollars.
To explain his decision, Mayor Reed indicates that the plan would provide zero immediate savings in the next fiscal year. This assertion is ridiculous on its face.
Would police officers seriously be willing to move into another pension plan with a lesser benefit, requiring them to work an additional 5 years, give up their sick leave payouts and reduce their cost of living adjustments if it saved no money?
Just one aspect of the plan, the POA’s offer to forgo arbitration on whether their 10% pay cut is one time (just for fiscal year 11/12) or ongoing, would have saved the city $30 million next year and every year going forward. Please click here and review the proposal for yourself.
Additionally, the mayor has chosen to adopt new actuarial assumptions, which no other city or pension plan utilizes, that effectively make San Jose’s future deficit situation look worse. This is what he means in his November Newsletter when he says many of the savings in the union proposal were erased by, “changes in assumptions to reflect modern conditions.” The very mention of the term “actuarial assumptions” has probably put some of you to sleep. This is a complicated issue, which can easily confuse a casual observer, and the Mayor is using this complexity to his benefit. The facts are that the cutbacks are significant and the savings are huge.
Why would he want to do this you ask? Mayor Reed made it clear long ago that he had no intention of negotiating any part of HIS pension proposal with employee groups. Whether we are talking about pension reforms, or the medical marijuana ordinance, our Mayor has an inability to compromise—his mantra of governance can be summed up as “my way or the highway.” While I find this mentality extremely troubling, his false characterization of our pension proposal is just beyond comprehension.
Mayor Reed has repeatedly said he values city employees, but just has trouble paying for them. Actions speak louder than words. All that City employees feel coming from this mayor is open contempt and disdain. I sure don’t feel valued based on the following section from Reed’s Pension “reform” ballot language:
Section 9: Disability Retirements
…
(a) An employee is considered “disabled” for the purposes of qualifying for a disability retirement, if all of the following is met:
(i) An employee cannot do work that they did before; and
(ii) It is determined that the employee cannot perform any other jobs described in the City’s classification plan because of his or her medical condition(s); and
(iii) The employee’s disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.
In other words, according to Section 9 (a)(ii) of the Mayor’s plan, if a police officer is shot during a bank robbery and is confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life, she would not get a disability retirement as she might be able to wheel herself into the mail room to sort mail.
That’s not reform Mayor Reed, that’s contempt for those who put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of your constituents.
Mayor Reed has clearly adopted a win at all costs mentality over this issue, and has no problem sacrificing some truth here and there to achieve his imperious view of the greater good. Sadly, the route the Mayor has chosen will result in long legal battles, which ultimately could see the city saving no money, all because Mayor Reed is unwilling to partner with the City’s employees to collaboratively find solutions. Whether it’s a new brand of math bought in to make his case look stronger or direct misrepresentation of the facts, it’s all become business as usual for Mayor Reed.
We have already approved this comment in previous posts.
Josh Koehn
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Josh Koehn
I hope you get a no confidence vote now that the POA President and Legal Council have both stepped down. You are a disgrace, this department can read the writing on the wall.
You are next to go and take your 200K buyout with your pension. You make me sick, hide behind your office door with your direct phone line to Deb. We don’t need your answers anyway.
I hope all officers leave or have a “blue flu” since they cannot protest. Thanks mayor Chuckie, this is a city where no one will want to work for minimum wage with no benefits or retirement.
Retired (thank God)
more responses (again) than answers. Don’t waste our time. SJI move on please.
The guy taking over aint no better. Why he is too busy securing funding for the IPA. Might have been nice to secure something for the troops as well. The VP has been running the POA FOR TWO YEARS. I should say running it into the ground. This whole unexpected fiasco gives way to the saying….. Rats bail on a sinking ship!