Fourth in a series
Re “Late Lunches Are Not Eating Away at Chief Bixby”
[img]2543|right|Scott Bixby||no_popup[/img]He is not the autocratic Ted Cooke.
Nor is he the more congenial John Montanio, whose term was more abbreviated than planned.
Scott Bixby, the hometown boy who is rounding out his second month – the tryout period – as interim police chief, is a new model. From appearances, the relations between the well-liked Mr. Bixby and his force of roughly 100 women and men is a marriage made for Duquesne Avenue.
He has been part of the furniture of the Police Dept. for all 30 years of his adult life.
If, as expected, the City Council makes his appointment permanent in the late summer, Mr. Bixby is expected to breathe the air at the top until he regrows hair or the surviving strands turn to vanilla color.
What does a police chief do in these times?
Ever organized, it is a challenge that Mr. Bixby has thoroughly thought through.
“I have my Measures of Effectiveness,” he said. “Some are from years ago. Others are new.
“What I think is important is our response time, our case clearance, we need an efficient parking enforcement program, prevention and reduction of crime and our morale.
“If we can maintain those five things, we will be successful. All of them are important.”
At what stage is Chief Bixby today on those five priorities?
“I have met with the professional staff, with the supervising staff, some of the groups within the department, the city manager, and a few of the City Council people. We are moving forward.
“I have made sure in these meetings that people understand my message: That I will be making decisions as fast as I possibly can, circumstances permitting, and that I want the direction to be crystal clear. If there is any question, please clarify them with me because it is important everyone understand what my Measures of Effectiveness are.”
(To be continued)
