I read the letter from a fellow retired police chief, Wyn Lohner, and I concur totally with his comments. Except for an overly cautious personnel director and/or city manager and/or chief of police there is no reason for this matter to have drug on for seven months. If the potential criminal issues regarding the detective raised in court have any substance then there would also have been serious violations of department policy. An administrative investigation regarding that should have been conducted long ago. If violations were sustained then appropriate disciplinary action should have already been taken. That could include termination. If not, bring the employee back to work in a restricted (nonenforcement) capacity until the results of the state investigation are known. If the employee is charged with a criminal offense then put her back on leave until a trial is concluded. At least, in the interim, Baker City taxpayers will be getting some, at least limited, service for the $6,000 a month that employee is paid.

This is not the only police officer case in the state where a state investigative agency — typical of them, I might add — is dragging its wheels. A several month old officer-involved shooting in Central Oregon is likewise in limbo because of the state’s incompetence. I concur with Chief Lohner. It is time for the BCPD chief and city manager to take action. Their failure to do so is an injustice to ALL involved and is a gross misuse of tax dollars.

Jerry Boyd

Prineville

Formerly of Baker City