SNOHOMISH – Rob Sofie didn’t see it coming.
He knew several employees at the Snohomish Police Department had complained. But he didn’t think that would cost him his job.
On May 28, city manager Larry Bauman told him he had the choice of resigning as police chief or being fired, Sofie said in his first interview since he retired on June 2.
Bauman cited a consultant’s evaluation in May that found leadership problems and other troubles, including complaints about unfair employee evaluations, overuse of internal investigations and low morale.
Bauman’s decision was a surprise, Sofie said, because neither the city manager nor Snohomish Mayor Liz Loomis had complained about his work before. In fact, he had received a glowing evaluation in December.
“What I have trouble accepting is why I wasn’t given any opportunity to resolve these issues,” Sofie said, adding that Bauman refused to look at his eight-point plan for fixing the problems.
“I’m OK with the fact that I was asked to leave. That’s business. (But) no one who gives their heart and soul to a city like I did deserves to be treated like that,” he said.
The right fit
Sofie, who was hired in 1998 to run the 20-officer department, wasn’t a good fit for Snohomish, some residents said.
“They want Andy Griffith,” Sofie said, referring to the old TV show with a folksy sheriff. “(But) when it came down to major crime investigations, if they’d had Andy Griffith, they would have been in trouble.”
Snohomish needs a chief with the combination of Griffith’s Mayberry touch and the skills needed to handle major crimes, he said. “I’m sorry I wasn’t viewed that way.”
Sofie, who previously worked as a commander in Renton, said he met some resistance when he began making changes in Snohomish. He tried to overcome communication problems through training, he said.
In Sofie’s previous performance evaluations, Bauman and other city managers praised his leadership.
In December, Bauman gave Sofie a glowing review, saying he was “pleased with the results of this past year and the exceptional responsiveness that Chief Sofie continues to demonstrate in addressing issues as they arise.”
In a June 23 letter, written as part of Sofie’s $42,000 settlement with the city, Bauman noted that under Sofie’s leadership the city had seen a decrease in crime. Among other accomplishments, Sofie also helped reduce criminal justice costs.
Bauman’s letter says “a decision was made to make a change in leadership in the police department, and Rob Sofie was released ‘without cause,’” entitling him to six months pay, according to his contract.
Officially, Sofie retired.
Officers cite problems
Bauman said he decided to hire a consultant in May after several officers who left the department said they quit in part because they didn’t enjoy working there.
The consultant, Rhonda Hilyer of Agreement Dynamics in Seattle, interviewed every officer, including Sofie, Bauman said.
“Almost every officer identified similar problems during the assessment,” Bauman said.
Hilyer found that most problems centered on “the way supervisors and employees were interacting,” Bauman said. “There were definitely problems with people working well together.”
Sofie disputed the findings, saying it “turned into a free-for-all” for a few dissatisfied employees.
Internal investigations, he said, were only conducted when an officer was accused of putting someone’s life, health or safety in jeopardy.
Bauman said he also was concerned about turnover.
During the six years Sofie was chief, 18 employees left the department. But the turnover rate was lower than that of the two previous chiefs, city records show.
Sofie and Bauman agreed that high turnover is normal for a small police department, as officers leave for larger departments and better pay.
“We would like to see people leaving for those reasons,” not because they disliked working for the department, Bauman said.
Moving on
The city will begin searching for a new police chief in July, Bauman said, adding that the new chief will play a key role in developing a plan to address officer and staff concerns.
Deputy Chief Chuck Macklin, the acting chief, said he will apply for the job.
Sofie plans to spend the summer traveling with his daughter, a softball player who is visiting colleges around the country. He also will do more evaluations for police departments seeking accreditation.
After his dismissal, Sofie received dozens of letters from Snohomish residents and the thanks of some inside the police department. One officer gave him two photographs. The first shows a barren tree. The second, the same tree, green and leafy.
The gift was meant to illustrate Sofie’s transformation of the Snohomish Police Department.
“That makes it all worth it,” Sofie said, “despite how I was treated at the end.”
Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or schiffner@ heraldnet.com.
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