Town Releases ICMA Report

March 5, 2010 by Josh Morgan

The consultant's report on issues between the Police Chief and rank and file officers was released Friday morning. The belief is that there are "systemic dysfunctions" within the Cheshire Police Department and there is "no quick fix."
The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) compiled a 16 page report and turned it over to the Town on Feb. 25, but it took another week for it to be publicly released. Inside the report, blame is placed on the department, but not one specific member.
"We wish to emphasize that the problems within this agency are significant, deeply seated and are affecting members of the department at all ranks and at all lengths of tenure," the report states. "We believe that these issues are broad based and have festered for some time, further exacerbating the situation, largely due to the intractability of parties at various ranks throughout the Department."
The report states that there are many factors at play, including the lack of a strategic plan, a lack of proper evaluation for organizational performance, and communication problems. The issues are not from one group or one member, but from all facets of the department, the report explains.
"These concerns go to the highest ranks. Even the most senior members of the agency feel that it is adrift, without focus or direction." the report reads. "In many ways it appears to us that this is a department without a plan or the internal ability to correct its present course."
ICMA did not render an opinion as to the causes of the problems, as stated on page five of the report, and did not offer any specifics as to incidents that may have occurred in the past, but the firm did volunteer to continue it's consultant duties for the Town, for a price. The last page of the report lists a pricing schedule to help resolve these issues that ICMA believes contributed to the no confidence vote back in October. A total of 11 items were listed for a cost of approximately $70,000, with a travel budget of an additional $8,000. ICMA was originally hired for an initial fee of $5,000.
"Given the current conditions, we firmly believe that these problems can only be resolved with needed outside assistance," the report concludes. "ICMA recommends a complete change in the Department’s management operations and capabilities. We believe that this can be accomplished with ICMA’s assistance."

See the March 11 edition of The Cheshire Herald for the complete story.

Click HERE to read the entire 16 page ICMA report.