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Jensen - A stinging, 10-page summary of a consultant’s “climate survey” last fall found the South Lake Tahoe Police Department facing considerable internal turmoil.
None of the police department’s sworn employees, management and supervisors who were surveyed reported that they had confidence in the organization’s senior leadership.
The summary, dated Oct. 8, 2007, was written by Riverside-based Taylor-Nelson LLC during the city’s contract negotiations with police officers. City officials have declined to release the consultant’s full 44-page report on the police department, saying that doing so would “serve no public interest.”
Taylor Nelson’s full report has been subpoenaed by the El Dorado County civil grand jury, Police Chief Terry Daniels wrote in an e-mail Monday.
Jim Smith, owner of Nik-N-Willies Pizza, also requested the full report during the public comment period at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
In denying the Tahoe Daily Tribune request for the full report, City Manager David Jinkens said the full report was exempt from disclosure because it still is in “draft form.” In addition, Daniels said the report was paid for through a “donation” and therefore is not a public document.
“No public funds were used for this training,” Daniels noted in the e-mail. “All costs were ...
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Excerpts from the climate survey -- Here are excerpts from the summary of a South Lake Tahoe Police Department climate survey prepared by Taylor Nelson LLC and dated Oct. 8, 2007. The excerpts are listed in the order they appear in the report.
-- “There is a feeling that the goals of the chief are to achieve personal recognition, and he is not willing to tell the council that there are fundamental weaknesses resulting from short staffing, inability to recruit and retain competent staff and overall low morale.”
-- “Relationships are over strained and people are disconnected because of the long work shifts, their confusion about the priorities of the department and the inexperience of supervision, administration and management. Members claim they hate to come into HQ, that that they keep their heads down and don’t talk to anyone. ‘Keep your head down and move to the middle of the herd’ was an oft-repeated mantra.”
-- “Only 36 percent of department members believe that opinions are exchanged openly without fear or reprisal.”
-- “Only 14 percent of all sworn department members believe that the department encourages and fosters good teamwork and shows appreciation for good performance. No sworn employee agrees with the survey statement that ‘our manager understands the importance of maintaining their employee’s self-esteem.’ ”
-- “27 percent of all survey respondents think that the organization rewards people fairly, but none of the sworn employees believe the rewards are worthy of the effort.”
-- “17 percent of supervisors and 13 percent of sworn employees believe that promotions are given to people who deserve them.”
-- “There seems to be sufficient personal development, coaching or relevant training.”
-- “67 percent of sworn employees agree with the statement that ‘we insure that all employees are taught the necessary skills to do their job.’ ”
-- “The chief is articulate, creative and intelligent and connected to the community and Council.”
-- “93 percent of sworn employees disagreed with the survey statement that ‘our managers always behave in a manner that is consistent with our values and beliefs.’ ”
-- “20 percent of sworn employees agreed that ‘our organization’s senior leaders are honest.’ ”
-- “None of the sworn employees, management and supervisors reported that they had confidence in the organization’s senior leadership.”
-- “The chief is aware of the need to attract and keep competent staff. He inherited the liabilities of former Chief Don Muren and is unfairly blamed for those decisions that caused loss of faith in the department’s leadership, viz., lower staffing levels.”
-- “The chief and captain, like so many of the police department’s leaders, are green. They need leadership, coaching, business management training and human skill development.”
