I've seen this one before

A police union votes overwhelmingly that they have no confidence in the police chief. The police chief states “I am going nowhere.”
We’ve covered at least two similar situations in my 23 years at the newspaper. Both were drawn out affairs that ended up costing the towns involved a lot money and effort.
If you read the Record-Journal regularly it comes as no surprise that the Southington police union passed a no confidence vote on both Chief Jack Daly and his supervisors on the police commission. Both sides have been haggling for months. Things appeared to thaw slightly around the start of the year, but it is now clear the two sides are never going to resolve their differences on their own.

Southington’s Town Manager John Weichsel is also apparently unable or unwilling to mediate. It may be time for Deputy Town Manager Mark Sciota to get involved or maybe he has already tried. If Sciota can’t resolve it, the only option left is the Town Council.
One thing is certain. The situation cannot remain as is because the people of Southington are the ones who lose. A union and police chief battling each other can’t fight crime as well as a department that is working together. My suggestion is that an ad hoc group of say one or two councilors and an administrator or two be appointed to meet with both sides to determine if an agreement can be mediated. Perhaps a retired officer that both sides respect could also be involved. If there is no chance for resolution, other options should be explored. This problem has festered for too long. Left on its own, it will only worsen.


Let me know what you think.