Moved from embarrassment

Living in Spokane for 37 years, I was often embarrassed by the inept municipal leadership. I was recently reminded of that embarrassment by articles in just one issue (June 23) of The Spokesman-Review:

•A senior police officer was indicted by a federal grand jury. He was one of seven officers involved in a fatal struggle with an unarmed and apparently innocent man while trying to arrest him.

•The U.S. attorney got involved because the county prosecutor would not.

•The indicted officer is not working but continues to be paid, and the city blames the victim.

•An attorney assistant was arrested for assault in a drunken altercation on an airplane and kept her city job.

•A fire captain spent time in jail for reckless driving, negligent driving and criminal assistance, but managed to avoid a charge of eluding police. He’s back at his $102,000 job.

•The non-elected Park Board has coerced the city to pay $5.3 million for a property it doesn’t need, may not even want, and can’t afford.

Officials still lack respect, judgment and accountability. I sympathize with Spokane citizens, but having moved away, I no longer share the personal embarrassment.

John McFaddin

Cataldo, Idaho