Fresno Mayor Alan Autry will ask the City Council today to put the independent police auditor question before the voters in November. Council members have already rejected the auditor idea and there's no reason to believe they will vote today to put it on the ballot to let the public decide.
This issue has split the two candidates for mayor. Henry T. Perea opposes the auditor, while Ashley Swearengin supports creating the post. She even issued a press release urging the council to put the issue on the ballot.
That could have an impact on the mayor's race in November. If it were on that ballot, Swearengin would be running for mayor at the same time that the police auditor question is being decided by voters. That would give the issue a very high profile.
Perea, of course, would be running for mayor while opposing the police auditor, and he may be looking at a political calculation. Maybe he will vote to put it on the ballot today, just to try to put his opponent in a political box. Perea already has police union support and the Fresno Police Officers Association will be running an aggressive campaign against the auditor post if it is on the November ballot. That could help Perea.
Autry, who is leaning toward supporting Swearengin for mayor, thinks voters will back the auditor, and believes a candidate supporting creation of the post will gain votes because of it. Autry has a poll that says 59% of the public supports Fresno having an independent police auditor.
So the City Council vote this afternoon on putting it on the ballot may not be that simple after all.
The Bee's editorial board supports creation of an independent police auditor, but believes Autry has waited too long to try to put it on the ballot. You can read our reasons by clicking here.
I think law enforcements' persistant reluctance to allow the creation of this simple position makes them look bad, even suspicious. Auditors are common all over the country, I wonder, was the same fight fought in every city? If it comes down to this being the 'big issue' in the Mayoral race, I'll take the populist position.
The blog is there and it isn't. Too keep all my marbles together, maybe I
should swear off blogs?????
Sir Robert Peel, creator of what we now call Police Department is famous for this quote:
'The police are the people, the people are the police'
MOI is unabased supporter
of the coppers, but firmly believe that an independant police auditor is something Fresno should have. It is most important for coppers to know that while the enjoy the support and respect of the community, their actions are subject to review by the very people they are sworn to serve and protect, WE THE PEOPLE.
Perea is thick as a brick and is pandering to the coppers, his lack of support of this vital issue just shows what a DWARF he is and will be if elected to office of mayor.
I think you all should know by this who the unions control..."Little P"
What would DWARF Perea know of unions, he has never had a proper job. Hmmmm, he must belong to the DWARF union.