Maybe The Thought is

Maybe the thought is that if we have an Ombudsman that is experienced in committing the violations they are expected to investigate. They will be better Ombudsman. Balderdash!

What kind of screw ball thinking, even entertains the idea of accepting the application or interviewing someone, with past convictions, such as Donna Poplar, for essentially extorting money. "Poplar was in fact charged with conspiracy to bribe a public officer and obtaining more than $100 by false pretenses." Or even consider a former officer, Brenda Purifoy, "... convicted of two counts of assault and battery, fined $205 and fired." in this case of procedural violations of beating the crap out of a prostitute. Both of these convictions are for issues that an Ombudsman may be called upon to investigate.

Ever heard the expression "The fox guarding the hen house?" Ever hear of Character or Integrity? Hat's off to Mr. Snell for bringing this information to the attention of the Public. Has Flint fallen so far to the bottom of the barrel, that Character and Integrity are frowned upon in a position, that requires the utmost Character and Integrity.

Ombudsman candidates pared
Flint City Council narrows list to 18; decision due May 8
FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Saturday, April 29, 2006
By Robert Snell
rsnell@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6302

FLINT - Interviews to find a new ombudsman finished Monday, and City Council members are being careful about how to proceed, considering what happened the last time they picked someone for the job.

Council President Darryl Buchanan had asked council members to submit by Thursday up to two names of candidates they would like to interview a second time next week, 8th Ward Councilman Ehren Gonzales said.

If everyone submitted two names, that would narrow the field of 31 candidates to 18 before the council is expected to make an appointment May 8. There did not appear to be any clear front-runner.

The developments come more than a month after the short-lived appointment of Tyrone Croom, which followed a nearly seven-hour meeting.

Croom resigned hours after the March 9 appointment amid reports he was pressured to hire as his deputy Donna Poplar, sister-in-law of 2nd Ward Councilwoman Jackie Poplar.

Several council members said they want to avoid any controversy with this appointment, but 9th Ward Councilman Scott Kincaid said agreeing on an ombudsman could be difficult.

The council needed 155 rounds of voting last month before agreeing on Croom.

"I'm not sure if we had four finalists that there would be a consensus," Kincaid said.

A smaller field of finalists could help, said council Vice President Sheldon Neeley.

"I think it would be easier for us to come to a conclusion," he said.

The candidates are vying to be the next city watchdog responsible for investigating citizen complaints about such issues as police brutality. The seven-year appointment pays $70,000 a year.

The interviews offered insight into how the candidates would approach the job, including immediately tackling unresolved complaints.

Applicant Brenda Purifoy, a retired Flint police sergeant, proposed dividing the city into four quadrants and hiring four investigators to handle complaints.

She also distributed newspaper clippings that detailed trouble during her police career.

"I don't hold anything back," Purifoy told council members.

She and two others were charged after being accused of beating a prostitute in 1984.

The prostitute said she was driven to a secluded area in the city where she was tripped and kicked in the chest. Purifoy testified that the officers were working a special detail designed to "inconvenience" prostitutes.

Purifoy was convicted of two counts of assault and battery, fined $205 and fired. She was eventually reinstated.

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