Monday, September 22, 2008
From inside VicPD, I think ...
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Battershill saga: what happened to the police chief":
The story was read all weekend by department members. There are a couple of things really bugging people. Why do these "sources" keep going to the media ? We deal with sources all the time and the first question we have to consider is why they are bringing forward the information. Dealing with sources is never pleasant and you feel like you need a shower to get the slime off after you debrief one because they are knifing their own in the back. They never come forward because it is the right thing to do. Second, nobody knows a lot but it seems like dozens of the complaints were false and the one thing they did prove occurred years ago for a short period when he was separated and they just waited for the right time to bring it up. Maybe we're wrong about that but nobody thinks so. And why are all these civilians like Hartig involved, why would people go outside to do something like this, we never do that. The article last weekend completely pissed everybody off, nobody should have their spouse ghost writing in that way, that's just ridiculous and contrived.
We're not that happy with the leadership right now. There have been some good things happen (they do happen anyway at a street level no matter how senior management behaves) but the lack of consultation on our strategic plan was tragic. People don't feel supported and a small group definitely is in control of the department. If you don't agree with them completely you are a bad person and find out quickly there is something "wrong" with you. There are stories coming out about investigations being interfered with by senior management. If they're true, and everybody is talking about them, its really bad.
There has alway been a tension here between people from outside and people who have always been in VicPD. The jealousy goes both ways. This issue is breaking down that barrier, we're all getting really mad.
I never really dealt with the Chief much, there are a lot of people who say he was amazing when they needed his help like after a shooting or if a family member was sick. He was supposedly really fair with discipline and transfers. There are also people who felt he was getting ready to leave and that would be a good thing since he'd been here long enough and we need change at the top too.
If this keeps up in the papers the membership is going to revolt, we just want to do a good job and be left alone now.
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Posted here, exactly as received this morning. Nothing added, nothing deleted.
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A good friend of mine who lives in Victoria recently said to me, "Whenever I see a VicPD cruiser going by, I want to have a chat with them. Just a chat, to ask how things are going. I never feel sure how to go about that."
Perhaps the person who wrote the message above, could tell us how to go about that.
Perhaps it's up to the citizens to make our wishes known. How about a smile and a thumbs-up next time we see a VicPD police cruiser?
Meantime, I've written to Times Colonist this a.m., pointing out the errors of their ways, beginning with "Why wait a year to begin looking at this tragic situation?" - BC Mary.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Battershill saga: what happened to the police chief":
The story was read all weekend by department members. There are a couple of things really bugging people. Why do these "sources" keep going to the media ? We deal with sources all the time and the first question we have to consider is why they are bringing forward the information. Dealing with sources is never pleasant and you feel like you need a shower to get the slime off after you debrief one because they are knifing their own in the back. They never come forward because it is the right thing to do. Second, nobody knows a lot but it seems like dozens of the complaints were false and the one thing they did prove occurred years ago for a short period when he was separated and they just waited for the right time to bring it up. Maybe we're wrong about that but nobody thinks so. And why are all these civilians like Hartig involved, why would people go outside to do something like this, we never do that. The article last weekend completely pissed everybody off, nobody should have their spouse ghost writing in that way, that's just ridiculous and contrived.
We're not that happy with the leadership right now. There have been some good things happen (they do happen anyway at a street level no matter how senior management behaves) but the lack of consultation on our strategic plan was tragic. People don't feel supported and a small group definitely is in control of the department. If you don't agree with them completely you are a bad person and find out quickly there is something "wrong" with you. There are stories coming out about investigations being interfered with by senior management. If they're true, and everybody is talking about them, its really bad.
There has alway been a tension here between people from outside and people who have always been in VicPD. The jealousy goes both ways. This issue is breaking down that barrier, we're all getting really mad.
I never really dealt with the Chief much, there are a lot of people who say he was amazing when they needed his help like after a shooting or if a family member was sick. He was supposedly really fair with discipline and transfers. There are also people who felt he was getting ready to leave and that would be a good thing since he'd been here long enough and we need change at the top too.
If this keeps up in the papers the membership is going to revolt, we just want to do a good job and be left alone now.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Posted here, exactly as received this morning. Nothing added, nothing deleted.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
A good friend of mine who lives in Victoria recently said to me, "Whenever I see a VicPD cruiser going by, I want to have a chat with them. Just a chat, to ask how things are going. I never feel sure how to go about that."
Perhaps the person who wrote the message above, could tell us how to go about that.
Perhaps it's up to the citizens to make our wishes known. How about a smile and a thumbs-up next time we see a VicPD police cruiser?
Meantime, I've written to Times Colonist this a.m., pointing out the errors of their ways, beginning with "Why wait a year to begin looking at this tragic situation?" - BC Mary.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Comments:
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"People don't feel supported and a small group definitely is in control of the department."
Your point of view from 'inside' is valuable, Anonymous.
People never "feel supported" or when "small groups" control power/money/justice/ for their vested interests vs the majority of an organization ultimately: the public's best interests.
Whether it be the RCMP, the Governments, the courts or in this case, the Victoria PD - it's the same 'sickness': corruption/coverup.
The symptoms remain the same: the best interests of the majority (within an organization and/or the public at large) always are secondary to the interests of "the small group" of 'string pullers' who, at all cost to decency, protect the best interests of their 'club' to further their agenda.
The apparent, targeted 'hit' surrounding Battershill STINKS as it does surrounding the Raid on the Leg/BC Rail scandal; as it does around any number of scandals that always get covered up to protect the 'club's manipulations/misconduct.
It is abundantly obvious that the Battershill/BC Raid/BC Rail 'events' are linked as Battershill is a key to a lot of evidence surrouding the stalled court case; rapidly sliding sideways to protect "the small group".
For those who have experienced this injustice from the inside, details differ but they know it always sifts down to:
WHO is connected to WHOM and WHAT vested interests are threatened.
"If this keeps up in the papers the membership is going to revolt" Anonymous
It's time: "revolt"
Your point of view from 'inside' is valuable, Anonymous.
People never "feel supported" or when "small groups" control power/money/justice/ for their vested interests vs the majority of an organization ultimately: the public's best interests.
Whether it be the RCMP, the Governments, the courts or in this case, the Victoria PD - it's the same 'sickness': corruption/coverup.
The symptoms remain the same: the best interests of the majority (within an organization and/or the public at large) always are secondary to the interests of "the small group" of 'string pullers' who, at all cost to decency, protect the best interests of their 'club' to further their agenda.
The apparent, targeted 'hit' surrounding Battershill STINKS as it does surrounding the Raid on the Leg/BC Rail scandal; as it does around any number of scandals that always get covered up to protect the 'club's manipulations/misconduct.
It is abundantly obvious that the Battershill/BC Raid/BC Rail 'events' are linked as Battershill is a key to a lot of evidence surrouding the stalled court case; rapidly sliding sideways to protect "the small group".
For those who have experienced this injustice from the inside, details differ but they know it always sifts down to:
WHO is connected to WHOM and WHAT vested interests are threatened.
"If this keeps up in the papers the membership is going to revolt" Anonymous
It's time: "revolt"
# posted by 
: September 22, 2008 at 11:12 a.m.
: September 22, 2008 at 11:12 a.m.
You know what's wrong with Chief Battershill?
He's an honest man.
He's direct. You know where he stands on issues. It seems you either like him or you don't. Most officers seem to like him.
Almost every description of him as chief begins with the adjective "progressive". He believes in civilian oversight.
And he is about to become a prime witness in a historic trial that appears to be mired in all that is not honest, anything but direct, and certainly not progressive in allowing civilian oversight.
My guess is that's a big part of Chief Battershill's problem.
And the below is a very astute observation from a commenter on BC Mary's blog highlighted here:
"Why do these "sources" keep going to the media ?"
That's such a good question.
Why would some choose to make a media circus of this?
But then we've been here before haven't we? The same kind of revealing behavior: to smear first, so that it forever taints the public's perception of the truth.
A despicable and cowardly thing to do. It reveals how threatened some are by the possibility of the truth being exposed.
And are their rewards and consolation prizes for those "sources" who feed these nasty little morsels to the media?
Is their wish list fulfilled behind closed doors?
He's an honest man.
He's direct. You know where he stands on issues. It seems you either like him or you don't. Most officers seem to like him.
Almost every description of him as chief begins with the adjective "progressive". He believes in civilian oversight.
And he is about to become a prime witness in a historic trial that appears to be mired in all that is not honest, anything but direct, and certainly not progressive in allowing civilian oversight.
My guess is that's a big part of Chief Battershill's problem.
And the below is a very astute observation from a commenter on BC Mary's blog highlighted here:
"Why do these "sources" keep going to the media ?"
That's such a good question.
Why would some choose to make a media circus of this?
But then we've been here before haven't we? The same kind of revealing behavior: to smear first, so that it forever taints the public's perception of the truth.
A despicable and cowardly thing to do. It reveals how threatened some are by the possibility of the truth being exposed.
And are their rewards and consolation prizes for those "sources" who feed these nasty little morsels to the media?
Is their wish list fulfilled behind closed doors?
# posted by : September 22, 2008 at 1:05 p.m.
: September 22, 2008 at 1:05 p.m.
Assuming that he or she is, indeed, a member of the Victoria Police Department (and I have no reason to believe that they are not), I would just like to thank them very much for speaking out in this way in an attempt to help inform the public.
Because, informed and honest comments made in the context of the speakers relevant experience in the matter are very much in the public's interest.
Unfortunately for all of us, the Police Complaint Commissioner does not appear to agree with that sentiment.
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Because, informed and honest comments made in the context of the speakers relevant experience in the matter are very much in the public's interest.
Unfortunately for all of us, the Police Complaint Commissioner does not appear to agree with that sentiment.
.
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