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"City Has Done Enough Already for Police Chief Roy Sumisaki"
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This information is provided by the candidate | ||
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"City Has Done Enough Already for Police Chief Roy Sumisaki"
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This information is provided by the candidate | ||
Let’s talk about Roy Sumisaki’s golden life raft. He will, of course, resign before too long. At the moment, however, reliable sources confirm that he is secretly trying to insure that the taxpayers make it financially rewarding for him to do so.
Roy came to our police department in 1990 after Greg Cowart, had left for another Chief’s job. Roy was a time tested military officer, and a man considered highly likely to be a natural leader. I, like many of you, thought he would lead by example and instill confidence in his subordinates. To make things even better, Roy was a hometown boy and someone who understood first hand the terrible evils of racial discrimination. He was born in an internment camp during World War II.
Despite this ideal background, however, there were nevertheless local people who raised their eyebrows at the sweetheart deal the City cut to bring Roy here. Remember that deal?
First there is his annual salary of $95,000, plus another $5,000 per year for his automobile allowance. This is more than most judges make.
And, naturally, as a public employee Roy has been growing a healthy Public Employee Retirement System pension. As yet another additional perk, the City has been picking up about $8,000 per year of Roy’s payments into this pension fund. That pension alone will allow him to take home approximately sixty-five percent of his salary for the rest of his life immediately upon resignation. He is now 53.
Seven years later, might we fairly ask what taxpayers have received in return?
We have a Department where gang violence is up forty-three percent this year and where the Anti-Crime team is grossly understaffed. While there should be seven members of this team working gang suppression, Roy has singlehandedly decided that four members is good enough.
We have a Department where Roy has abdicated virtually all his responsibilities to his two captains. Roy’s sees his position as the figurehead, with the actual operations of the Department handled by his captains. That means if there is a late night gang shooting, he stays in bed.
Even assuming that we agreed with his big city view of himself, serious problems exist with Roy’s performance in this self-defined role. Consider, for example, that in recent months Roy has unilaterally canceled Citizen Advisory Committee meetings because -- in Roy’s mind -- there was "nothing to talk about."
We have a Department where rank-and-file officers have launched an investigation into Roy and his Captains. Their findings are just now reaching the press. To put it as kindly as possible, Roy’s understanding of the line between City property/Roy’s property is vastly different than mine. He should not be giving away City property or misappropriating it to his own use. He should not be taking large gifts from certain members of the public. I also do not think that he should be giving out concealed weapons permits with regard to who his friends are and without regard for an applicant’s criminal record.
We have a Department where younger officers are looking to leave for other cities at the first available opportunity. For some reason, these fine, young officers think that even after seventeen years of decorated service to our community that they might be fired over some trivial violation of procedure. Try telling them that the City Council would never let that happen. Just try.
In sum, we have a Department that everyone in town knows has some serious problems. The current Council knows that it would be an outrage to cash Roy out with yet another year or two of salary in light of all he has already received: the loan, the pension, the car, and the salary (not to mention the videotapes, the 49er tickets, the free stays in Mexico, the autographed football, and so on).
Therefore, the Council would prefer to tell you about the terms of Roy’s golden life raft after the election. That way you would have another four years to cool off. I have been calling for Roy’s termination on this page since July. If elected, I will communicate to the Council your view that the taxpayers have paid too much already.
