Confidence job required DESPITE the glacial- like meanderings of the Vancouver Police Board, they finally reached a decision on the status of erstwhile Chief Constable Bruce Chambers. Not a moment too soon by any measuring stick. Chambers has been a lame- duck chief for much of the Past year in reality. That impo- tence was underlined by the police board last month when they overruled Chambers in an internal staffing transfer of a senior staff sergeant. From that point on, the wrising was clearly on the wall. What truly surprises is the length of time it took for the board ta announce the inevitable, Vancouver mayor and board chairman, Phillip Owen, soft pedalled the reasons for the dismissal of Chambers in his press conference on Friday. Despite prodding from the media, Owen refused co cite the real reasons for the termi- nation. He alluded to morale issues as the motivator for the board while extolling the virtues of what Chambers has done in his tesure here. The failure of Owen to effectively lay his cards on the table did nothing to guell the controversy raging internally and publicly. By trying to be publicly nice to Chambers, Owen left the door open for Chambers to spin his version of events, which he did in the Sunday Province. The result of that leaves many people believ- ing the police board acted improperly in not renewing the contract. The Vancouver Sun jumped on this opening in their lead crime and punishment editorial on Monday defend- ing Chambers’ record and suggesting he had the support of elements of the community, citing the Chinese business community and the gay popu- lation. All rhetoric aside, the reali- ty of the Chambers era is one of autocratic and inefficient management. Chambers messed up from the get-go and did nothing in the subse- uent period to correct his failings and his only achieve- ment was to alienate the vast majority of the Vancouver Police Department. His management style, if indeed it can be cafled that, can be summed up in a quote from a team training day early on in his tenure. In explaining his “vision™ to the officers at the meeting, he left no room tor consultation. “If you're not on the bus, you'll get run over by it,” said Chambers accord- ing to several people present. Chambers claimed in The Province interview that he was done in by a small minority of the “old guard” who resented an outsider being brought in as the boss. He said in reflee- tion, he “underestimated the resistance to an outsider.” This statement alone shows just how out of touch he was with the situation within the department. The practical real- ity is that the vast majority of police officers, including those Clothes to move in 206 Lonsdzie Avenue © Underground) Patung Oi 2nd Open Mon-Sat ¢ Closed Sun 986-1185 CAR ANG TRUER RENTALS North Shore Owned & Operated Mini Van — 720 Marine Dr, North Van Min 310 i Price ind “S.LAURSEN & SON & blinds Itd. over 27 years wew.sidrapesandblinds.com Custom Rods, Upholstery & reads (Ask about our Seniors Discount, For Free Estimate call 922-4975 or 987-2966 Drapery Labuur $13.59 per panel lined. iow Low Prices of commissioned officer rank who make up the senior man- agement structure, did not support Chambers. It could hardly he described as a “small cadre” of officers. When Chambers arrived he had the opportunity to heal the scars caused by the politi- cal machinations of those who were manocuvering for the corner office. The rift created within the department begged for a leader who could rise above the furore and bring the various factions together. This was the one thing he failed w do. In trying to gauge the department's feeling, the one thing that came through was the overwhelming sense of relief from all 1 spoke to. The official spokesperson for the Department, Constable Anne Drennan said as much on Monday morning. “There is an overall sense cf relief that we are at the point that a deci- sion has been made. The pub- lie should have complete conti- dence that the level of policing will nor be affected by what has beea going on internally,” said Drennan. Those comments were echoed by Director of Public Affairs Ken Hardie. “The deci- sion has been made and it’s time to get on with things. We're sall open for business and the public can be confi- dent in the job we're doing,” he said. Unlike Owen, Hardie was at least reflective in what brought about Chambers* demise. “If T can say there's one thing the chief did not do, he did not validate what had gone on in the past,” a nice way of saying Chambers paid No attention to those who had worked the streets of The Oceanside Conmanity ef FURR YighCREEK VANCOUVER’S GROWING OUR WAY! 45 min. from Vancouver on the Seato Sky Hwy. 1 (888)922-9462 wwwfurrycreek.com eieammmmn Yo net eine | Vancouver tor a long time and knew what was really going on, Another officer, a senior sergeant with 30 vears service, summed up the reaction in this way: “Evervbody is relieved that this guy is gone. There was too much tension. Nothing was getting donc.” Owen and the police board is spending approximately $200,000 to replace Chambers, At the very least he owes the public more of an explanation for the mave than he has thus far provided. The air needs to be cleared so there is no debate about whether the board was night or wrong, in its decision. The move by the police board was the correct one, albeit somewhat belated. Chambers was clearly the wrong man for the job and the board needs to state unequivo- cally why they did not renew his contract and to assure the public they will get it right next time. The public needs to have confidence in its police depart- ment and at this point nothing has been said to instill thar trust. The opportunity is at hand to un-do much of the damage. So tar in this melo- drama, that opportunity has nor been seized. lknight@direct.ca Open Canada Day 9:30 to 6 New shipment just arrived... and Starting 1o flower! Banana % (Basjoo) “<3 Add a tropical touch to your garden. Survives our local winters. Wednesday, June 30, 1999 — North Shore News - 7 meibox Web site won't shorten Dear Editor: Subject: surgery wait list and the Web site. The Web site for shorten- ing surgery waits is a fallacy. 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