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Pay cited most often as reason for ORPD turnover, low morale, MTAS report says

Posted at 8:05 pm October 15, 2015
By John Huotari 23 Comments

Margaret Norris and Rex Barton of MTAS on Oct. 15, 2015

Margaret Norris, left, and Rex Barton of the Municipal Technical Advisory Service at the University of Tennessee deliver the results of a six-month review of the Oak Ridge Police Department to City Council on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12 p.m. Oct. 16.

It probably wasn’t the explanation that many expected, but pay was cited most often as the reason for turnover and low morale in the Oak Ridge Police Department, according to a report released Thursday.

Some have pinned most of the blame for the department’s woes—or perceived woes, depending upon your perspective—on Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi, and they had called for an investigation of the chief earlier this year on several different fronts.

Among those pressing for an investigation was Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn. She and others had raised questions about the chief’s temperament, including whether he has outbursts and is vindictive, and what Baughn suggested is a high turnover rate.

But the City Council instead approved a review of the ORPD that focused on morale, turnover, and administrative policies. In March, Council hired the Municipal Technical Advisory Service at the University of Tennessee to conduct the six-month review, which was first proposed by Council member Kelly Callison. MTAS presented its findings in a 20-page report presented to the Oak Ridge City Council in a special work session on Thursday.

The report identified a primary culprit familiar to many workers: pay. But as officers have pointed out, they, unlike most other workers, face danger on a daily basis.

Most of those interviewed by MTAS thought that ORPD salaries are not suitable for retaining good employees, MTAS consultant Rex Barton told Council members Thursday. Whatever raises have been given in the past few years have been outstripped by the rise in the cost of benefits, Barton said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: administrative policies, Charlie Hensley, City Council, Jack Mansfield, Jim Akagi, John Criswell, Kelly Callison, Margaret Norris, morale, MTAS, Municipal Technical Advisory Service, Oak Ridge Police Department, ORPD, Rex Barton, Tasha Blakney, Trina Baughn, turnover, University of Tennessee, UT

Guest column: Council member offers summary of events related to ORPD investigation

Posted at 10:48 am May 26, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns 37 Comments

Trina Baughn

Trina Baughn

By Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn

Given that there is some confusion over recent events, I offer the following summary about where we are, how we got here, and where we are headed with regards to the Oak Ridge Police Department investigation.

The ORPD has seen a total turnover rate of 45 percent in the last four years, having lost 34 of our 76 employees. Five of those individuals have departed in the last four months. Since February, all Council members have received communications from at least seven former officers, three current officers, and countless citizens expressing concerns about leadership and a potentially hostile work environment. Others have communicated anonymously citing similar concerns and attributing their anonymity to fears of retaliation.

On February 9, during a five-hour televised meeting, and in front of the largest audience any of us had ever seen, City Council formally committed to investigate the root causes behind the turnover, morale, and policy issues in the Police Department.

The resolution that was ultimately approved was brought forward by Council member Kelly Callison who stated that “We think that’s a broad, a very broad term that allows an investigator, an independent investigator to look at the issues that might be present…”  At the end of the meeting, councilmember Chuck Hope stated, “The investigation that we’ve come to an agreement among the seven of us was reached unanimously…there’s enough information that it warrants an investigation…”

During this same meeting, Council committed to ensure that the investigation would allow for the anonymity of all participants and would include both current and past employees. Mr. Callison also suggested that council select Municipal Technical Advisory Service, specifically Rex Barton, to perform the work. Council did not select MTAS at the time, but agreed to hold a special meeting to select an entity to conduct the investigation and define its parameters. Information regarding the other resolutions that Council rejected can be found here. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: Bobby Hill, investigation, Kelly Callison, Margaret Norris, Mark Watson, morale, MTAS, Municipal Technical Advisory Service, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge police chief, Oak Ridge Police Department, order of protection, ORPD, ORPD investigation, policy issues, POST Commission, review, Rex Barton, special meeting, Tennessee Municipal League, TML, Trina Baughn, turnover, turnover rate, Warrant Gooch

ORPD review expanded to include all employees, some former workers

Posted at 11:18 am April 23, 2015
By John Huotari 18 Comments

Oak Ridge Police Department Cars

But MTAS will have to agree to changes

The review of the Oak Ridge Police Department has been expanded to include interviews with all employees. The review could also include interviews with former employees who have left the Police Department since Police Chief Jim Akagi started almost four years ago.

Initial plans had called for a limited review of the Oak Ridge Police Department and interviews of a random sample or cross-section of employees.

But the Oak Ridge City Council expanded the review during a special meeting on Tuesday. That special meeting was called after concerns were raised about the initial list of randomly selected interviewees being sent to the police chief, city manager, and all Police Department employees, which raised questions about the impartiality and confidentiality of the review.

By one estimate, the expanded review could include interviews with more than 100 people. And it’s not clear if the Municipal Technical Advisory Service at the University of Tennessee will agree to the expanded review, or if they might charge the city.

The City Council agreed to expand the review during a three-hour special meeting on Tuesday that included criticism of MTAS, accusations of collusion between Council members, and an attempt by Council member Trina Baughn to have resident Joe Lee, one of her chief critics, stop taking pictures during a public comment session. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: administrative policies, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, City Charter, David Beams, Ellen Smith, Jim Akagi, Joe Lee, John Criswell, Kelly Callison, Ken Krushenski, Margaret Norris, Mark Watson, morale, MTAS, MTAS review, Municipal Technical Advisory Service, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Police Department, Open Records, ORPD, ORPD review, review, Rex Barton, Rick Chinn, Trina Baughn, turnover, University of Tennessee, Warren Gooch

MTAS: ORPD review to be extensive, but not clear who will be interviewed

Posted at 4:11 pm April 18, 2015
By John Huotari 21 Comments

Oak Ridge Police Department Review Protest

Protesters who want all officers to be able to speak to a consultant reviewing the Oak Ridge Police Department are pictured above outside the Oak Ridge Municipal Building before the Monday night City Council meeting.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:35 a.m. April 20.

The review of the Oak Ridge Police Department will be extensive, but it’s not clear yet who will be interviewed, an official said Friday.

The proposal submitted by the Municipal Technical Advisory Service and approved by the Oak Ridge City Council in March called for interviewing a randomly selected group of police department employees. It also called for interviewing other city employees and officers and possibly talking to community leaders not directly employed by the city.

But some have expressed concern that others who want to speak, including former officers and city residents, might not be able to under the limited 30-day review and random selection proposed by MTAS.

“These men deserve to be heard, all of them,” said Christen Thomas, wife of Oak Ridge Police Department Officer John Thomas.

The independent MTAS review will use Police Management Consultant Rex Barton, a former administrative captain for the Athens, Tennessee, Police Department. MTAS is part of the Institute for Public Service at the University of Tennessee. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Charlie Hensley, Christen Thomas, City of Oak Ridge, David Beams, grievance, Institute for Public Service, IPS, Jim Akagi, John Criswell, John Thomas, Kelly Callison, Kyle Scott, Margaret Norris, morale, MTAS, MTAS review, Municipal Technical Advisory Service, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Municipal Building, Oak Ridge Police Department, ORPD, ORPD review, PAB, Personnel Advisory Board, Philip Nall, review, Rex Barton, Susan Robertson, Trina Baughn, turnover, University of Tennessee

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Classifieds

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