Cache, Oklahoma

Dear Editor,

In your May 22nd edition of the County Times you published a letter to the editor that I had written. (This letter was also published on the Cache blog hosted at Cacheok.com.) I have received tremendous positive response to this letter, and want to share with you some of what the People of Cache have been saying to me about our recent “mistake” by the police department.

Several were outraged that the City Council didn’t go through a hiring process to appoint a new police chief. Some have asked me if it was legal for Mayor Watson, Councilman McPherson and Councilwoman Parker to promote Patrick Holloway to Police Chief, without going through a hiring process first. I asked our city attorney, Mr. Art South, this question on June 9th at the City Council meeting. According to Mr. South, there is no state statute that requires a municipality (City of Cache) to go through a hiring process. City policies and the city code cover the procedures. The problem here is that the city policy and city code, at least the way I understood it, says that the job is to be offered to city employees first. If no one seeks the position then it is opened up to the public. Interesting. When Mayor Watson first took office he promised that the “days of the good ol’ boy system are dead and gone.” Sounds to me like they are still alive and well. Mr. Holloway’s promotion to police chief is certainly evidence of the health and vigor of this supposedly dead and buried system in Cache.

I would be remiss if I didn’t remind the public that Councilwoman Myers and Councilman Komacheet did vote against promoting Mr. Holloway. It is my impression that they would have preferred we go through the hiring process. They are both a credit to our community.

Many asked what would have happened if one of the homemade bombs would have exploded, while the officer was transporting them. The short answer is no one knows for sure, but if there were innocent citizens near by, they could have been injured or even killed.

Some also asked why didn’t the officer just leave the bombs where they were and call the bomb squad, that is after all what common sense would dictate. I don’t know the answer to that, but I have to assume that not only was common sense ignored, but so also was the officer’s training. I personally believe, the answer as to why the officer transported, instead of calling the bomb squad, is there is an arrogance in our police department, and it blinded the officer’s judgment.

I think another question we should consider is, do we really want an officer on our police force that doesn’t have the common sense not to transport live explosive devices?

Some have stated that they believe we should have a Grand Jury investigation of the Mayor and City Council. I personally believe it is too soon to make that step. We should give the Mayor a little more time to do the honorable thing and initiate an independent investigation of the homemade bomb incident first. But, if we don’t get an independent investigation very soon, I suppose we will have no choice but to seek other options, which I’m currently investigating. For the safety of the citizens of Cache, we must have an independent investigation, we need to know the truth and we need to make sure that any officer, who had failed in their duties, is either disciplined or terminated, as is appropriate. I hope the independent investigation will be one initiated by the Mayor and conducted by Sheriff Stradley’s office, OSBI or OHP, and not one initiated by the people and conducted as a Grand Jury.

Before I continue any further, let me express why I am so passionate about seeing an investigation of our Police Department’s failure, and why I am so critical of the actions of the Mayor and City Council members Ms. Parker and Mr. McPherson in promoting Mr. Holloway. Cache residents, who have lived here for awhile, remember the days of our “Terminator Cops” - as they were often called. They pulled people over for silly things like tag lights, and they too had the attitude that they we were under martial law and they were the enforcers. We even suffered legal actions being brought against our fair city because of those “Terminator Cops”. I don’t want to see Cache go through that again – and we are currently racing down that road.

I’m also tired of hearing about people who say they will not come to Cache, even to purchase gas or a soda pop as they travel, because of the police we currently have. But, who can blame them? Look at what they see.

We have an Assistant Chief of Police fail the public trust horribly and then is promptly promoted, instead of being put on administrative leave. We continue to have polices and codes that promote the inbred good ol’ boy system. Our new police chief wears a S.W.A.T. uniform while on duty instead of a class A uniform (which tells you everything you need to know about the attitude in our PD). We have an officer bring explosives into City Hall and said officer isn’t terminated or disciplined. Tag lights have become more important to our PD than public safety, and our mayor and two members of the City Council cover for the police department, even when the PD needlessly puts lives in danger. It is a sad day, when our police department – who are suppose to be public servants – are causing such harm to our city.

Apparently, the Mayor isn’t seeing whatever one else is seeing. During a discussion of the Council at the June 9th City Council meeting (I believe it was during item 15) Mayor Watson said, “What people like Jerry Randall need to understand, is it is emergency services – not just the police department.” I respectfully disagree with the Mayor.

Let’s take a look at our Police Department’s current track record – evidence lost in the vandalism case (Tommy Hawthorne has asked repeatedly for the documents that tell where the paint cans have gone, or to have the evidence returned to him, but has gotten the same answer each time – the mayor will see what he can do). A murder case, that rumor has it is so messed up charges are unlikely to ever be filed. A homemade bomb incident that was handled more as a political problem than a public safety issue. At the last 3 City Council meetings someone has complained about the PD – sometimes more that one person has complained in a single meeting. And to my knowledge, no charges have been filed in the murder case, vandal case or improvised explosive devices case. Oh, but they’ve nabbed those dirty tag light offenders!

Let us not forget the ordeal that Ms. Tipps endured. She was attacked, not once but three times, by a man with a ski mask in her own home. Where was the police? This question was asked on the blog located at http://www.topix.com/city/cache-ok/2008/04/cache-woman-attacked-for-third-time-in-own-home#comments, the answer from a user from Stillwater, was they are too busy pulling over elderly ladies, like his grandmother. Mr. Mayor, it’s about our police department.
It has become painfully obvious, that if we want to see a change in our police department and city government then we, the Citizens of Cache, must make our voices heard. Primarily, we need ever citizen to show up to the next City Council meeting, on July 14th, and use their First Amendment Right to Free Speech. It is, after all, the American way. Until then, this letter will also be published on the Cache Blog located at http://www.cacheok.com, please log onto the blog and share your thoughts and comments. I am sincerely interested in them. Or, email me at cache@chs81.net. Above all, let your voice be heard!

We can not allow the homemade bomb incident to be swept under the carpet. It speaks of a very dangerous problem that exists in our city government and our police department. If we don’t stand up and exercise our rights as citizens, then we are as guilty as those who failed to evacuate children and failed to discipline the officers in question.

Our city is growing, that is a fact. You can sit on the sidelines and complain, or you can be a part of the rudder that determines the direction our city will grow. I’ve chosen the latter. What do you choose? - Reverend Jerry Randall, Concerned Citizen.

Dear Editor,

            The actions of Cache Mayor Nolan Watson, Councilman Mike McPherson and Councilwoman Barbara Parker at the May 12th City Council meeting have left me deeply troubled.  Allow me to illustrate why by asking you to imagine a potential scenario with me.

It is April 25, 2008. Assistant Police Chief Holloway, as ranking officer is in command of the Cache police force, and has been informed that two improvised explosive devices are in the evidence locker located in City Hall and has decided not to alert the public of the hazard. Kristie Lambert, director of the Smart Start No. 1 daycare center, having noticed a commotion at City Hall, has asked if she needs to evacuate the children, she is told by Officer Holloway that the police department isn’t sure what they have and it’s her call on whether or not to evacuate the children. Devoid of accurate information and working only on her instincts she decides to err on the side of caution, and begins to call parents to have them come pick up their children. (Up to now, this part of the scenario actually happened).

Now let’s imagine that, before the parents have had a chance to arrive to pick up their children, suddenly and without any warning one of the explosive devices becomes unstable and detonates with devastating force. A loud explosion rocks historic downtown Cache, broken glass and other shrapnel rips through the flesh of city employees innocently waiting for the order to evacuate. Some die, others are seriously wounded.

            Debris  from City Hall hurdles across ‘C’ Avenue and slams viciously into the windows of the daycare center, sending glass and metal shards at lethal velocity into the children and daycare workers. Some die, others are seriously injured.

            Ambulances, law enforcement and fire department vehicles eventually make it to ground zero and find  a horrific scene that resembles a war zone. Emergency personnel quickly attend to the living. Some will live, others will die from their injuries.

News media from around the State converge on Cache like vultures to a fresh kill, and soon all across Oklahoma faces of distraught parents, spouses, children and survivors are flashed onto TV screens, each recounting the terror of the explosion and the horror of the aftermath. Some are grieving, others are praying.

            Now imagine it is May 5, 2008. The first of the lawsuits has been served to Cache city officials. More will come, it is just a matter of time. The amounts will be staggering, but justified.

            I literally thank God that this scenario didn’t play out in this manner, but it certainly could have. If it had, do you think Mayor Watson, Councilman McPherson, and Councilwoman Parker would’ve offered Assistant Police Chief Holloway, assuming he survived, a promotion to Chief of Police with a pay raise to $16.50 an hour? (Why don’t you ask them that question the next time you see one of them?) If they did, would you stand idly by and allow them to get away with such a betrayal of the public trust?

Yet, they did promote Patrick Holloway to Chief of Police and they did raise his salary to $16.50 an hour on Monday night, May 12, despite his decision not to evacuate historic downtown Cache. Shouldn’t Officer Holloway and the officer who allegedly placed the two improvised explosive devices in the evidence locker been placed on administrative leave until an investigation, conducted by an independent agency and coordinated through Civil Defense Director Phyllis Myers, had been completed? Apparently, Mayor Watson, Councilman McPherson and Councilwoman Parker don’t believe so – they believe Officer Holloway deserves a promotion and a sizable pay raise, and this apparently before their own internal investigation is completed. Do you agree with this decision?  Do you think a promotion and pay raise is appropriate?

            It is obvious to me that Mayor Watson, Councilwoman Parker and Councilman McPherson have placed their own agenda above the safety of the citizens of Cache. At the May 12, 2008 City Council meeting Mayor Watson said “We are investigating; we are caring, we are compassionate.” Then later that evening he proved it by breaking the tie – Councilwoman Parker and Councilman McPherson voted yes, while Councilwoman Myers and Councilman Komacheet voted no – to promote Assistant Police Chief Holloway -the same officer who, while in command of the Cache police force, failed to immediately evacuate historic downtown Cache (which included 63 innocent children) during a potential lethal situation – and also to give him a raise to $16.50 an hour.

I personally asked the Council that night to please do their duty to serve the people of Cache by going through the process of searching for the best qualified candidate. Do you think we got the best qualified candidate? I don’t. There wasn’t even an effort to find the best qualified candidate. I know for a fact, that there was at least one other qualified individual who applied for the position. Yet, this individual wasn’t even given the courtesy of a phone call. Why not? Why wasn’t this individual considered for the position of Cache Police Chief? Why weren’t others? Why was there such a rush to promote someone who, in time of crisis, failed the public trust?

I personally feel, and I know that I am not alone, that Mayor Watson, Councilwoman Parker, Councilman McPherson and Police Chief Holloway have failed in their duty to protect and serve the citizens of Cache. Apparently, Mayor Watson is the leader of this gross betrayal of the public safety and should atone for his actions by formally apologizing to the people of Cache and personally placing Police Chief Holloway and the officer who allegedly placed the two explosive devices in the evidence locker on administrative leave. He should personally request and insure that an independent investigation is immediately initiated. Hollow speeches, internal investigations and training after the fact are not enough. Certainly, promoting an officer who failed the public trust so miserably is not enough! Especially, when apparently even the internal investigation is not completed!! The citizens of Cache deserve – and should demand – substantially more.

            Councilman McPherson and Councilwoman Parker also owe the citizen’s of Cache a public apology for failing to put public safety above their own agendas. They too should ensure that Police Chief Holloway and the officer who allegedly placed the bomb in the evidence locker are placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation by an independent agency.

            I seriously doubt that the Mayor, Councilman McPherson and Councilwoman Parker will do the honorable thing and apologize for their failure to place the public safety above their own personal agendas, and begin an independent investigation.  I am also certain that Police Chief Holloway and the officer who allegedly placed the two explosive devices in the evidence locker will not be placed on administrative leave, or that a true and impartial investigation will occur. That is, unless the citizens of Cache demand it.

 This is why I’m calling on the citizens of Cache to make their voices known by holding these three elected officials and our new police chief accountable for their dangerous actions. If we, the citizens of Cache, do not hold Mayor Watson, Councilman McPherson, Councilwoman Parker and Police Chief Holloway accountable for their actions, then we are just as guilty of placing innocent lives in jeopardy as they are. We must speak out! We must insist on an independent investigation!

Please, attend the next City Council meeting, June 9 and let your voice be heard. Please, let Mayor Watson and the City Council know that we insist on an investigation of this matter by an independent agency.

            Finally, I’d like to thank Councilwoman Phyllis Myers and Councilman Shawn Komacheet for their noble effort to prevent the rush to appoint Patrick Holloway as the new police chief.  Your concern for the people of Cache has not gone unnoticed!  –Reverend Jerry Randall.

The Cache Chamber of Commerce had a very good meeting with a high percentage of the members present.

A committee was formed to rewrite the bylaws. Another committee was formed to nominate office for elections next meeting.

Looks like the Chamber may be making a come back.

The Cache Chamber is having their first meeting in years. This is the first step to bringing the chamber back to a full functioning organization.

Jan 17, 2008 at the School. 6:30pm

This web site is designed to promote Cache, Oklahoma. I would like to see it become Cache, OK’s place on the internet.