Just what we need before the stupid elections, chaos in the government. Well, at least more than the usual.What the heck does Chief Gemme think he's doing?
What the heck should the City Manager do with a rogue cop?
And what the heck are we to think when the Chief of Police publically declares war on the local newspaper? The venerable Telegram & Gazette. Ain't anything sacred?
It's presumptuous for Gemme to think that a government organ is untouchable in a democratic society. For Gemme to publically retaliate by stating he will refuse to deal with the local press because it feels unjustifiably attacked is incongruent with a democratic society's principles.
I would have hoped that the officers in command positions at the WPD, including the Chief, thoroughly read and understood their political science and public policies textbooks while "attending college" to fulfill the requirements of the Quinn Bill. It seems they didn't, since they ignore the fact that a free press is one of the checks and balances of a democratic society.
For good or for worse the T&G is necessary, because someone has to keep an eye on the police and their union and the councilors. The T&G's job is to raise awareness of issues for the public to ponder. What you do with that info is your concern. But don't expect any help from the Council when things do get out of hand, as they have. The bottom line is that the Chief of Police and City Council have lost site of the fact that they are beholden to the public, not to the unionized few.
But hey, we all know that right? So I suppose if we give Gemme the $5 million and make the T&G publically apologize, maybe a public flogging of Sutner on the Common (draw and quartering is too messy and heck who'd wanna clean up that mess?), he’ll go back to his bunker; having fulfilled his obligation to his 450 loyal rabid unionists.
So let's give them what they want. Why not? Heck the City Council threw away $2.5 million for some stupid water sprayers for Main South. The money is better spent satiating a hoard of heavily armed potential insurrectionists. Last I read, they have 73 M-14 and M-16’s, 500+ hand guns, a WWII era Sherman Tank (the Chief's brother has been working on it in his spare time - off the clock of course), and a SWAT team really itching to kick some serious butt. All in all enough toys and manpower I'd say to overthrow a city, say the size, of Wusta?
I say we give them the 5 mill folks and call it a win-win. Consider it an early Christmas present to the WPD from the people of Wusta.
Ya think there's a lesson to be learned?
Well, only in Worcester can something like this happen.
And, we get what we deserve.
