In his eighth week as the third City Manager of Culver City this year, John Nachbar sometimes may have the feeling of walking into a movie halfway through, especially in the matter of the Police Union vs. Police Chief Don Pedersen.
The City Manager’s handbook does not carry a strategic blueprint for navigating through this awkward moment that so far looks endless.
New to Southern California, you are looking for friends and allies, not prickly relationships.
How do you proceed? What instincts will guide a head-scratching newcomer when it comes to mediating, passively overseeing, supervising or chin-stroking while a select group of rebelling officers periodically peppers the community with grievances. Does it matter that, so far, the police union pronouncements have not made a dent in the perhaps bemused but mostly eye-rolling reaction in the neighborhoods?
The undulating union-chief, us vs. him war over Mr. Pedersen’s style of leadership already was at least in its ninth month, with each side’s positions staked out by Monday, Aug. 16, when Mr. Nachbar arrived from the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park.
What stance should a new chief executive assume?
Mr. Nachbar: “I am trying to be supportive — to the chief, to the management of the city, to the elected officials. Clearly the chief has responsibility for the Police Dept. I am not in that chain of command. I report directly to the City Council. I see myself as being in a support role.”
How does support manifest itself?
“I am in fairly frequent contact (with the chief), and I have had meetings with the union (board members) and the chief.”
What is your message to the union?
“At this point I have been listening, tying to understand their concerns. My message has been, ‘Let’s keep the communication going.’ The communication between the union and the chief — I think the union could be more willing to speak with the chief. I am just encouraging communication to continue. I think that is critically important in life.”
What is your opinion of the hard-hitting essay by Sgt. Brian Fitzpatrick of the police union board published last week about Chief Pedersen’s “failed policies”?
“I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to comment.”
(To be continued)
