POLICE STUDY CATALOGS GRIPES, GIVES GUIDANCE

Cape Girardeau city officials are analyzing and correcting errors in a long-awaited, $43,569 study from the Washington, D.C.-based Police Executive Research Forum.

The report contains 128 pages of information about and recommendations for the city's police department. The evaluation was based on departmental records, site visits and hours of interviews with officers, civilian workers and individuals in the community.

Apparently, many police department employees found little to like about the department. There were complaints about men and sworn officers receiving preferred treatment over women and civilians. They blamed top management for blocking the flow of information, spoiling a trusting relationship between administration and the rank and file and failing to address issues of respect and morale.

And it cited the turnover rate -- 47 out of 110 positions over the last 13 months -- as being indicative of the problems.

Whether that's worth a five-figure bill from PERF is up for debate, although the study seems to be winning over some former naysayers.

Others say many of the problems went away with the departure of former chief Rick Hetzel, who has taken a public relations job at St. Francis Medical Center.

As for Hetzel, he understandably characterizes the report as unfair. He says he was in touch with and supportive of his officers and disseminated information appropriately.

And he pointed out that he was the one to request the study in the first place.

The police association in Cape Girardeau applauded the study as an accurate reflection of what went on in the department under Hetzel and were happy to see the problems quantified in a report.

And some who initially opposed funding the study, like Councilman Richard "Butch" Eggimann, now say it has some value.

Eggimann made a good observation. He said last week that it gives the soon-to-be-hired chief "something great to work with."

That's the most valid point of all. It is completely unproductive to use the strongly worded report as an indictment of a man who has moved to a different career and who has done so much for the community. It must be recognized that, given the opportunity, many employees in various types of work would rail against their bosses. Officers and civilian employees in other police departments likely would have similar gripes.

But the report can be used as a blueprint for the future.

That way, perhaps the next chief will have a good grasp of how the men and women under his or her command operate and what kind of standards they will use to judge the new police administration.