Crucial races for public safety

The Spokane City Council president and mayor races are crucial for public safety. Who will be Spokane’s next police chief? The current chief is Anne Kirkpatrick, a “politically correct” hire by former Mayor Dennis Hession, who wants to be City Council president.

Kirkpatrick may be the most inept and incompetent chief Spokane has ever had. A significant number of police officers have no respect for her. She’s been more concerned with finding another job and reading to children than dealing with public safety issues. Traffic enforcement has been severely cut back and police response to violent crimes in progress can be as long as nine to 10 minutes. She made little effort to support and lobby the Legislature to strengthen Washington’s felony DUI law this year.

Kirkpatrick’s firing of Detective (Jeff) Harvey, the Police Guild’s vice president, may wind up costing Spokane big bucks. The Guild has had legitimate concerns Kirkpatrick has ignored.

Spokane desperately needs new leadership, people with vigor and vision who will work to ensure public safety.

Ben Stuckart wants to make Spokane a better and safer place to live. Check him out at benstuckart.com. We also need a new mayor to resolve the Otto Zehm crisis: David Condon.

Jim Reierson

Spokane