Now when do we get to appoint a new county executive?

It's amazing how politics plays out. My assumption is that Davis can now put 'Chief' on her resume and if when she retires she can get retirement benefits as a Chief. Hopefully I am wrong and someone will clarify this for me.

And the beat goes on.

Why did he bother naming an acting chief? I am sorry for Ms. Davis that she will not have the ooportunity to serve that had been offered to her. Looks like the county exec is pulling the rug out from under her!

Tsk, tsk, Michele! Hasn't he already shown us what deep affection and respect he has for women--ethics--integrity--the people he's paid to serve? Election day can't come soon enough, for this voter.

Be careful what you wish for. Let's see who, or shat, is running for the position. For the small filing fee I may just have my name put on the ballet. How about you?

Be careful about wanting an executive that doesn't have flings in mall parking lots or steal campaign signs? Or harass county employees? Or ask police officers to pick up his dry cleaning?

I am disappointed that Acting Police Chief Pamela Davis wasn't given the opportunity to serve, but, delighted a Permanent Chief Of Police was chosen and not an outsider from another Jurisdiction or State who wouldn't know our County or our Police Department. The new appointed Police Chief Tolliver has exceptional qualifications and will do a great job. It has to be a heartbreak for Acting Chief Davis, even though she was a high ranking female Police Official, was appointed, then replaced almost at the same time, she will continue to do a good job in the Police Department and I wish her the best. Appointed Chief Tollliver I have lots of respect for and so happy an outsider wasn't appointed as this helps morale and gives all Police Officers a chance for promotion to move up through the ranks.

I wonder how MAJ. Davis feels, in her heart of hearts--not what she says officially because it would be political suicide to say anything else, but how she really feels, in response to this self-serving betrayal by the great Mr. Leopold? Her non-appointment deflected public attention from the issue while he waited to see if Tolliver would accept the appointment. I'm sorry--but knowing the circumstances, if Tolliver had a backbone, he'd have refused.

Why are we reconstituting someone who has already served and now we bring him out of retirement? Does this mean he collects his retirement at the same time he's collecting a salary? Just asking….

Keep in mind The Police Chief is an appointed position by the County Executive. When a new County Executive is elected we will most likely have a new Police Chief. Larry Tolliver has years of experience and is well qualified to run the Dept. in the interim. I was hoping Pam Davis would be given the opportunity to act as Chief, but leave it to politicians to work it so she misses out by a day!

@ My Opinion and pamela: Both of you have valid points. It's an appointed position and as such, whenever Leopold leaves office a new police chief will most likely be appointed. Maj. Davis, depending on her future plans, could wind up out of job if she were to accept the Chief position at this time. Makes sense now.

Amy, you are correct. As an acting chief, her time and position would be protected. If she took the position officially, she could be out of luck when a new County Executive takes office, as she does not have enough time in yet to retire. Great officer, great administrator, she has a GREAT future.

To elect the Chief of Police would be a difficult process if the position was available to every man or woman who believes he/she is capable of running a Police dept. Who is going to make the list of requirements for those qualified for the elected position? Can that person be an outsider or will that elected official have Police experience? I don't want the Police dept. to be run by someone who thinks he is qualified and has little or no experience with our Police dept. Since the Police Dept.'s promotion process requires education, experience, and leadership ability why can't we have a Police Chief who has earned that position by climbing up the ranks? The promotion process has worked for every other rank in the Police dept. so why wouldn't it work for Chief? A position as important as Chief should not be appointed by the County Excecutive because he will appoint the person who he believes will serve him the best. As we have all seen with the current County Executive that person must feel a sense of obligation to the one who gave him his job and the decisions he makes are influenced by the County Executive. Can a Chief say no to the County Executive's requests and not fear his position will be in jeopardy? I think we all know the answer to that! How much influence does the County Executive have with the Chief of Police whether appointed, promoted to the position, or elected? I am interested to know that answer.

Carol B. - I'm not so sure the old Chief was forced to do anything he didn't want to do. He was put in a tough spot knowing his retirement was on the line BUT he could have stood up for what was, and is, right. I hope he sleeps well knowing what he may or may not have done.

We cann't always use the excuse that 'they made me do it'. Wasn't that what the Neuremburg trials were about? The concept is basically the same. You're accountable for what you do and even the military emphatically states that it is the obligation of soldiers NOT to obey illegal orders. Should the Chief of Police be held to the same standard?

Ronald, I'm not sure what happened to your last post: it was sent to me, but doesn't appear here. It says:

""Carol B. - I'm not so sure the old Chief was forced to do anything he didn't want to do. He was put in a tough spot knowing his retirement was on the line BUT he could have stood up for what was, and is, right. I hope he sleeps well knowing what he may or may not have done. We cann't always use the excuse that 'they made me do it'. Wasn't that what the Neuremburg trials were about? The concept is basically the same. You're accountable for what you do and even the military emphatically states that it is the obligation of soldiers NOT to obey illegal orders. Should the Chief of Police be held to the same standard?"

I think you misunderstood my point. I wasn't saying that the old chief had no choice--I have been in comparable predicaments myself, and made the hard choice of putting my principles ahead of my livelihood, and I am not making and Eichmann excuses for the chief, if he elected to do the opposite. I'm simply saying that the likelihood of such influence being wielded is higher when the chief of police is an appointee of any elected official; many people are terrified of losing their jobs (look at the copycat they just apprehended in Crofton this morning), and not everyone can stand up to that threat. Why create the opportunity in the first place? The chief needs to be beholden to nothing but his own conscience--and the law.

We have never seem to have had this problem before, to my knowledge whereby a Chief Of Police in this County has been caught up in a situation which has occurred because he was appointed by the County Executive. We have had some excellent appointed Police Chiefs' who came up through the ranks and were more than qualified and performed outstandingly their duties to the Police Department and to the citizens' in which they served. It is important that a Police Chief be selected by the County Executive as it is a morale booster and gives the opportunity to all Police Officers to move up through the ranks and their individual hopes of becoming Chief some day. All appointed Police Chiefs' are aware that they re responsible to the County Executive for their actions and they know that if they rebuke what they are asked to do, they could be out of a job and stand to lose their pension so what has happened lately is more or less an isolated case, not to say that it may or may not happen again. The most important thing out of all of this is to promote or appoint within the Police Department. Ms, Vitale I want to personally thank you for the many Police Graduations you have attended, it shows you care as I attend and I see you, there. Thanks for your support.

Patricia, I take your point about police officers needing to know that they can be promoted; but surely we can come up with a process that would permit that, and still not make them political appointees. The overwhelming majority of officers are decent, ethical people who are ready and willing to risk their lives for the benefit of the communities they serve, but it only takes one corrupt individual in a position of significant power to abuse his or her authority. If the county executive is less than scrupulous, too, the risk to the county doubles--and no matter how rarely it happens, when it does, it's disastrous for the community. Why invite the opportunity? Why not allow a committee made up of police officers and community leaders to recommend two or three candidates for chief, and let the people vote on the most qualified? I'm sure there are other models we could follow. I don't know how the police earn merit promotions (whether they have to amass so many years of service, or so many outstanding reviews, or so much training, or some combination thereof) but there must be two or three people who are at "the top of the class" by whatever standards are used. I think it's time we found another way to recognize their achievements; having the county executive decide is no guarantee of promotion based on merit, either.

Did all who are giving responses here read in the newspaper last night that it is the "unions" who have the loudest voices and one of the strongest reasons "why" Larry Tolliver was appointed permanent Chief of Police because of his past experience in dealing with union leaders? Also stated several well-respected people in law enforcement had an impact on the County Executive's decision. So you see, not going to do much good with citizens serving on a committee, loudest voices/majority rules. Food for thought. Larry Tolliver is an excellent choice, however, Major Davis, also an experienced Police Official was not given an opportunity to show and implement her skills as Acting Chief Of Police, guess the unions thought because she was a female she wouldn't have the expertise to work with them and to raise the morale among Police Officers in the department. Nothing against the unions per say, it is the "power" they have and use through paid ads in the local newspaper advocating their needs and wants and politicians listening to them, so citizens', do you think anyone is listening to us?