Chief Remains Silent, Won't Defend Crime Analyst Position

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Story Published: Feb 9, 2010 at 12:53 PM PDT

By Peter Bukowski

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YAKIMA -- Micah Cawley seemed like the only man on the council willing to tackle the recent disagreement between Yakima Police Chief Sam Granato and City Council.

"It's part of our job as council members to provide oversight and ask the tough questions," the Mayor said.

But what about my tough questions? I called all week to try and ask the chief about an employee he hired, who reports only to him, and costs the city over $111,000 a year. It wasn't until after a barrage of phone calls that I had any kind of comment from the police on their $100,000 man.

Lt. Gary Belles, with Yakima Police Internal Affairs says, "Ultimately the chief of police has to answer for everything his police department does, that's why they call him the chief."

And yet only the council heard from the man in charge. I was told if I had attended the council meeting, answers would have been given.

But I pay taxes, and you pay taxes, and that answer isn't good enough. It's not good enough for Mayor Micah Cawley, either.

I asked Cawley if it is incumbent upon the chief then to defend his position. Cawley said ,"every department head's going to defend a position they either bought forward in their department. That's their job."

I also called Bill Lover who got into it with the Chief over the issue at the council meeting, but he woudn't talk to me either, stating the issue was done for him.

But until I hear directly from the man making the decisions, the issue isn't done for me. You want answers, and I'll keep working to get them.

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