Sound familiar? "Anderson supporters turned out for the meeting, saying he did great things for the city and the Police Department but he was unfairly criticized because he tried to transform an agency that's unaccustomed to change." 12.17. 2002 ~~ Orland Sentinel
Jeff Richardson, Asheville’s assistant city manager, said the city checked Anderson’s background, including his time in DeLand, and found he was the best man for the job.
The city used an 18-member committee to pare down a pool of 109 candidates from a nationwide search.
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City Manager Apologizes For GPD Chief's E-mail, No Comment From Chief
WITN
tried to get the Greenville Police Chief's response to his recent
controversial e-mail to the mayor about crime in downtown Greenville,
but we were told he was unavailable Tuesday.
At
Monday night's special meeting between Greenville's city council and
the city manager, some voiced their concerns about the e-mail Police
Chief Anderson sent to its members. He wrote about a fight in downtown
Greenville Thursday that led to a shot being fired, but no one was hit.
Anderson said in the e-mail the downtown situation is a "powder keg
environment" and there needs to be leadership from the council to help
prevent a dangerous situation. The tone of the e-mail offended some on
the board, and the city manager even apologized. At -large city
councilman Dennis Mitchell says he had never received an email from a
city leader like this one.
"You
want your different managers in the city to be able to talk frankly,
but I think at some point it's counter productive and I think that's
what the e-mail did," said Mitchell
Mayor Allen Thomas told us, he would like to put this issue behind them, so they can move on and deal with the city's business.
PREVIOUS STORY:
An
e-mail exchange between the Greenville Police Chief and mayor took
center stage at the Greenville City Council meeting Monday night as
council gathered to discuss finding a new chief and city manager.
Cnt'd.http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/138352954.html
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Undated Petition in protest of William Anderson
This is a petition to present to our city council in protest of Chief William Anderson of Greenville, NC. Chief William Anderson has not been an effective leader for our community. The crime rates have risen tremendously in the last 2 years since he has been in office. A growing hub of eastern NC for the past few years now, the proud citizens of Greenville are now reduced to fear of their own safety and are ashamed that our city has been publicized as having the 2nd highest spike in crime in the state. Our officers are unhappy working for him and his ridiculous rules.
We do not blame Chief Anderson for the crimes being committed -- we blame his leadership for not properly handling them and for once again taking a city down the wrong path as far as officer morale. The time to take action is now before things get worse. We ask that a full investigation be done by an unbiased outside agency into the police department. We ask that they look into the accusations of police reports being purposely labeled incorrectly, officers being mistreated, the new policies he has implemented, mishandling of government funds and more. We urge this investigation to divulge into his past performance and accusations of corruption in both Deland, Fl and Elizabeth City, NC.
**Please note that all unnecessary and racist signatures will be deleted.** http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/firechiefanderson
Deland Oks Severance Deal For Police Chief
December 17, 2002|By Kevin P. Connolly, Sentinel Staff Writer
DELAND -- The City Commission on Monday approved a resignation package for police Chief William Anderson, whose roughly three-year tenure was marked by controversy over what critics called a heavy-handed management style.
The separation agreement between the city and DeLand's first black police chief, who didn't attend Monday's special meeting, makes Anderson's resignation from his $70,366-per-year job effective Jan. 3.
The agreement stipulates that neither the city nor Anderson will make any "negative or disparaging statements" toward each other. Commissioners also agreed, in a 4-1 vote, to give Anderson a three-month severance package, plus he could be eligible to earn up to three more months of severance unless he gets a job during that period.
Maureen France, Anderson's most vocal opponent, cast the lone dissenting vote against the package. She said little through most of the meeting, even as Anderson's supporters chastised her for comments she made about Anderson in the past.
France nodded in agreement when Mayor Bob Apgar called for the community to come together in the wake of Anderson's resignation, which he said created an opportunity to "put the past behind us."
"I intend to seize that opportunity. I have no intention of playing the blame game," said Apgar, who also announced plans to create a task force to boost minority employment.
Apgar said he doesn't think the city has poor race relations but said, "We can do better."
Anderson supporters turned out for the meeting, saying he did great things for the city and the Police Department but he was unfairly criticized because he tried to transform an agency that's unaccustomed to change.
"DeLand is simply not ready" for a black police chief, said Charles Williams, a DeLand native and Anderson supporter. "We just refuse to move forward."
Anderson announced his resignation Friday, less than a month after France issued a statement calling for him to step down, citing "the declining morale, unrest and mismanagement that have plagued the department under Chief William Anderson."
France, whose husband is a lieutenant with the department, released the statement in the wake of a 22-page grievance filed by Cmdr. Randy Henderson, who complained, among other things, that Anderson had created an atmosphere of hostility.
Retired Altamonte Springs police Chief William Liquori, who has a reputation for turning around troubled police agencies, will serve as DeLand's interim chief after Anderson's departure and until the city hires a permanent leader, a process expected to take three or four months.
Liquori, who has 43 years of law-enforcement experience, will serve as the temporary assistant chief until Anderson's last day.
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Leader: Chief Should Resign
Deland Commissioner Maureen France Stepped Up Her Criticism Of Police Chief William Anderson.
November 27, 2002|By Alicia A. Caldwell, Sentinel Staff Writer
DELAND -- Amid accusations of racism and poor management, a city official is calling on DeLand's first black police chief to resign. The apparent battle is bringing the turmoil that has plagued the department to a boiling point again.
Cnt'd...http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2002-11-27/news/0211270450_1_anderson-city-manager-deland
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Chief Calls Review A Good Idea
William Anderson Backed The Evaluation Of His Stewardship Of The Deland Police Department.
February 27, 2002|By Beth Kassab, Sentinel Staff Writer
DELAND -- Police Chief William Anderson fully endorsed Tuesday the city's decision to launch a three-month evaluation of the Police Department and his management style.
In part, the study will investigate allegations by some officers that Anderson is a dictatorial, unreasonable manager.
Anderson spoke before the City Commission at a special meeting held to grant City Manager Mike Abels authority to spend up to $10,000 on the review
"I support and endorse the recommendation of the city manager to do this study," he said.Cnt'd. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2002-02-27/news/0202270397_1_william-anderson-police-department-deland-police
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Turmoil Bubbles Within Police
Deland Chief William Anderson Faces Employee Grievances, A Looming Union And Racial Tension.
February 24, 2002|By Beth Kassab, Sentinel Staff Writer
DELAND -- The turmoil inside the city's Police Department can be seen in the grievances filed by departing officers, in the pleas for change by officers' wives, and even in the accounts by the police chief of racism and threats. Cnt'd.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2002-02-24/news/0202230373_1_william-anderson-police-chief-deland
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Other Orland Sentinel articles that include Chief William Anderson are on this link. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/keyword/william-anderson
