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Show P(ojrt) eoiro'oipllDoirQerouS plk ; Some express concern for public perception of police Members of the Vernal Police Department Depart-ment received what they hoped for at the theraton Inn Friday in the form of titizen's panel's perception and riticism or how officers do their job. e While complimentary about the iepartment's professionalism in ireneral, some panel members expressed express-ed concern about the perception of the c ublic and particularly teenagers of the police in light of officers' behavior, i; One panel member said the Vernal Police Department is too big and told Chief Robert T. Downard, "I think you're li ver-budgeted. You're using equipment ):ou don't need." a: The session was part of an all-day c:eminar for officers. Si Greg Hawkins, Vernal city councilman ver public safety, said the citizens panel xi something Chief Downard and he have bought about for close to a year as a way " ') increase exposure between the department depart-ment and the public. Spending on police " rotection is an area of conflict, poten-'c: poten-'c: ally, between the department, the city Council and the public, Councilman T.awkins noted. He referred to problems the Uintah ounty Sheriff's office had in getting its roposed 1983 budget approved by the ounty commission. "I don't think they ad feedback early enough," said Councilman Coun-cilman Hawkins. "By the time the II udgets are here, it's too late. You ought ) get feedback early in the game, decide n a budget and then pass it as a formali-. formali-. That's a goal we'd like to work for in all departments.' Chief Downard said he has continually continual-ly stressed "public awareness" since assuming the position of department chief in 1979. Downard responded primarily to the budget criticism voiced by panel member Grant Southam, businessman and former county commissioner. Downard said the department has a foundation foun-dation with regard to manpower and organization: the department can grow ' easily if it has to. "When hard times set in, the citizens' needs are up in the form of crime rates ; the demands on police service have gone up," Chief Downard said. The average amount of time an officer is involved in a call is 1 hour, 15 minutes, he added. "When you have 10,000 incidents in-cidents and you have officers take reports on those incidents, you have no time left to enforce traffic laws or shake doors at night." Southam said the department makes itself prominent in the wrong ways, such as with too many officers and too many instances of patrol cars using sirens and lights. "You've got no idea how it affects people," he said. Southam said officers are not commanding com-manding the respect of teenagers. (See story, page 4.) Southam said he once saw that three officers, responding in three different cars, had an older man of Mexican descent des-cent "stretched out on the ground. ..It didn't take three cars to handle that poor man." In another instance, he said, four cars responded to a family fight at the residence of a friend. "We just can't afford af-ford that kind of stuff," he added. John Millecam disagreed with Southam, saying, "I do not think the budget is out of line. I would hate to lose an officer because he is ill-equipped." He added, "Perception is what we need to deal with." He believes police are perceived by some Vernal residents as a "good ol' boys' club". "If you've dealt with the lowest form of life on two legs just 10 minutes before, you're the only one who knows that," Millecam told officers. Officers may have to "open their lives up" by interacting interac-ting more within the commuity, he added, add-ed, much as politicians do as public officials of-ficials also. Panel member Ken Serre, with the State Department of Social Services, said department members should "Branch out in their contacts" with the community. "There's an opportunity to get involved in Lions and Kiwanis (clubs) and umpiring. You'll find you're no longer in command as a police officer. You have to learn other skills to negotiate. You have to get out and meet different groups so you have a pulse of the town," Serre said. JoAnn Gilbert, a teacher at Uintah High School, said teenagers have shown more respect when officers explain the reasons for their actions. Kids become angry, she said, "when officers do things they were arrested for" such as violating traffic laws during a chase. "When officers explain, then the kids understand that." Mrs. Gilbert said students detect attitudes at-titudes of "machosim" of officers. "They feel you come down on them hard like trying to be a tough guy." City Councilman Karl Migliori said attitudes at-titudes displayed by law enforcement officers of-ficers affect adults as well. "You don't stop people for punitive reasons, do you? ' ' Migliori asked as Chief Downard and other officers shook their heads. "You stop them for public safety. You have a punitive system to teach but that's not why you stop." Migliori referred to incidents when he was confronted by peace officers and encountered en-countered opposite attitudes. A highway patrolman was courteous when stopping him for a speeding violation; on the other Continued on page 4 i I i i J i Chief Robert Downard Demand on service up Police... Continued from page 1 hand, a fish and game officer took a completely com-pletely different attitude when he found Migliori and his son with an antelope Ihcy killed. (Apparently, the fish and game officer was unaware that hunting season was in effect. ) "You give people a positive attitude so Ihey don't come to me and say, 'Why do you let a jerk like that on the force?'" Migliori said. Panel member Ted Freestone, a juvenile court administrator, said he seeks improved communication with police. "Sometimes, the public is given the idea that the, courts don't care. We have the same kind of concerns," Freestone said. "I remember when I knew every of-lieer of-lieer in the area. It was a big help," he added. Working with witnesses is also important, impor-tant, he said. "I have a premonition on how cases will go, based on the amount of preparation." Millecam told officers, "You need to physically look like you can handle the job. "When you put on your uniform, you need lo look like someone who came out of the i police) academy. "I don't think there should beany question ques-tion about an officer's morals," added Millecam, saying that a high divorce rate in general among police officers bothers him. Serve said the Vernal Police Department Depart-ment has become more effective in the past four years as younger members join the force and mix with veterans. "You have a large force for a city of 7,500," said Serre. "but you have an influx of liUNKi to 20,01)0 that you have an impact on everyday. "If you don't have the best equipment, you'll have lawsuits that won't stand up in court." Karl Migliori Officers' attitudes |