Chertok Resigns After 9 Months

FOR THE RECORD: 5-29-99 Name misspelled: Spokane City Attorney James Sloane’s name was spelled incorrectly in the caption of a photo that appeared in Friday’s newspaper.

Spokane Police Chief Alan Chertok resigned Thursday, accepting a $65,000 buyout to leave his “dream job” after only nine months.

Flanked by two city attorneys, City Manager Bill Pupo announced Chertok’s resignation outside City Hall.

Chertok’s settlement contains a clause that prohibits him from suing the city, Pupo said.

The 46-year-old East Coast native reached his decision after lengthy discussions with city officials over the past few weeks, Pupo said.

He would not say whether Chertok had been given a choice to resign or be fired.

“He thought it was in his best interest to resign,” Pupo said.

“It’s certainly disappointing.”

Chertok declined to comment Thursday.

He had vowed as recently as two weeks ago not to quit.

Deputy Chief Roger Bragdon will serve as acting chief until a replacement is hired, said Pupo, adding that he hopes to start the selection process this fall.

“It’s unfortunate that it has come to this, but we must move on for the good of the community,” said city Councilman Jeff Colliton, chairman of the city’s public safety committee.

Police union officials, who have been openly critical of Chertok recently, said they are relieved he’s stepping down. “We’re thankful that it has come to an end,” said Cliff Walter, president of the Spokane Police Guild, which represents rank-and-file officers. “At this point, we’d just like to move on and bring stability back to the department.”

But some community leaders said Chertok had been forced out unfairly.

“I think we’re suffering a great loss in losing Alan Chertok,” said Khalil Islam, vice president of the Spokane Human Rights Commission. “I liked the direction Chertok was moving the Police Department in.”

Eileen Thomas, president of the local chapter of the NAACP, said Chertok opened lines of communication with minorities.

“He was an open person. He knew how to get along with people,” said Thomas, who suggested that Pupo resign for his poor handling of the controversy. “They didn’t give him a chance to do his job.”

Chertok’s nine months as chief were filled with turmoil, especially during the past three weeks when he was assailed on several fronts.

Earlier this month, the police union criticized him as an ineffective leader, and he was investigated by sheriff’s detectives for comments he made to a high school class about Spokane’s serial killer investigation.

On May 6, Chertok agreed with Pupo’s suggestion to take an unscheduled vacation. Pupo changed the vacation to a paid suspension the next day after Chertok violated an agreement the two had reached regulating Chertok’s time off.

But Pupo said Thursday the real problem was Chertok’s performance and rebutted arguments that the chief didn’t get chances to perform his job.

Earlier this month, Pupo gave Chertok a harsh job evaluation that included 15 areas where the chief needed to improve. One area was leadership, Pupo said. Another was judgment.

“After the evaluation I did, he thought it was best for himself to move on,” Pupo said Thursday. Pupo declined to provide other specifics, saying he is prohibited from talking about them because of state law regarding personnel matters.

Chertok was hired away from the Newport News, Va., Police Department after a seven-month search to replace Terry Mangan, who retired after 11 years as chief to take a job with the FBI.

Chertok, who had never before served as a chief, was second-in-command in Newport News.

The 25-year law enforcement veteran was hailed as a progressive thinker and technology expert who could lead the Spokane force into the new century and bridge a perceived gap between the department and the city’s minorities.

When he arrived, Chertok said he would get to know the department and community before trying to implement any changes in the 285-officer department.

His salary was more than $90,000 a year. A contract he signed in February called for him to receive severance pay equal to three months’ salary if he quit or was fired.

But he nearly tripled that severance in his negotiations with City Hall.

The search that resulted in Chertok’s hiring cost nearly $30,000, including $1,200 to fly Chertok’s girlfriend to Spokane to have a look around last July.

Private citizens were heavily involved in the search process, a fact that didn’t sit well with some members of the Police Department who thought they were shut out.

Other members of the department were upset that an insider, like Bragdon, was not selected to lead the force.

Bragdon has since told Pupo he’s not interested in being promoted to chief.

Pupo said he will use a similar process to hire the next chief.

“The process did work,” he said. “Hiring Chief Chertok was the right decision at the right time. It just hasn’t worked out.”

Police union officials said they hope the city will advertise extensively and consult with more law enforcement experts before hiring the next chief, Walter said.

But city officials and police officers worry that the Chertok controversy will discourage good candidates from applying for the job.

“We didn’t have that many applicants to start with,” Mayor John Talbott said of the 26 people who applied to replace Mangan.

“Now with this (controversy) and a possible initiative on the ballot for a strong mayor, someone coming to Spokane will see a whole bunch of unrest and turmoil. It will be hard to attract people.”

BACKGROUND Controversies The problems Alan Chertok encountered as police chief included: Last August, a state Department of Licensing clerk complained in a letter to City Hall that Chertok had treated her rudely when he applied for his driver’s license. Chertok was not disciplined. In January, the Spokane Police Guild complained to City Manager Bill Pupo that Chertok had browbeaten a patrolman during an argument over jumper cables. Pupo issued an oral reprimand to Chertok after a six-week investigation. On May 4, Police Guild President Cliff Walter complained to Pupo that Chertok was an ineffective leader who made no meaningful changes. On May 5, Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk announced that his detectives had investigated comments Chertok made to a high school class about the Spokane serial killer investigation. Prosecutors cleared Chertok, but Sterk said the comments could have hurt the investigation. On May 6, Chertok agreed with Pupo’s advice to take a few days off to let things cool down. On May 7, Pupo changed the vacation to a suspension after Chertok violated unspecified conditions of his time off.

Staff writers Robin Rivers and Kathy Mulady contributed to this report.