To the Residents, Businesspersons and Visitors to Culver City:
We, the undersigned, are members of the executive management team overseeing the city’s Fire, Public Works, Transportation, Planning, Building, Parks and Recreation, Finance and Information Services departments.
Last week, we read with disappointment an advertisement paid for and placed in Culver City’s local newspapers by the Culver City Police Officers Assn. In this paid advertisement, the CCPOA makes negative allegations against Chief of Police Don Pedersen.
Over the past four years, we have had the opportunity to work closely with Chief Pedersen and have found that he conducts himself in a professional and ethical manner.
Thus, we disagree with the CCPOA’s negative characterization of Chief Pedersen.
During his tenure, we have observed Chief Pedersen taking a thoughtful, collaborative approach to modernizing the Culver City Police Dept. and bringing a new culture of cooperation, community involvement and 21stcentury policing to this vital organization.
Contrary to the statements and implications of the CCPOA’s paid advertisement, it has been our experience, through interactions with Chief Pedersen, that he is honest, trustworthy and professionally competent.
The city has benefited from his experience, and knowledge of police practices. For example, his participation in regional and state police chief organizations allowed Culver City to further its valuable relationships with our surrounding cities and communities.
Based upon our direct observations, we have found that he highly respects, supports and defends the men and women of the Culver City Police Dept., as well as all residents of our community.
Safety of our community is his primary concern.
We, the undersigned executive managers of the city of Culver City ant the Culver City community to know we support Chief Don Pedersen and his continuing mission to modernize the Culver City Police Dept. We hope that he also will receive well-deserved support from the Police Dept. and the entire Culver City community.
(Signed)
Martin Cole, Assistant City Manager.
Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director
Charles Herbertson, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Jeff Muir, Chief Financial Officer
Pam Robinson, Acting Parks and Recreation Director
Art Ida, Transportation Director
John Richo, Chief Information Services Officer
Chris Sellers, Fire Chief
