Sultan drama puts city, officers in real danger

The most recent flap to have embarrassed the good citizens of Sultan has become much more than a soap opera. It has put the public in danger.

Mayor C.H. Rowe, no stranger to controversy, has put Police Chief Fred Walser on indefinite paid leave. And continuing a distressing pattern of secrecy, Rowe refuses to explain why, citing the advice of an attorney and the city’s insurance carrier. Even some city council members say they were blindsided by the decision.

"There will be no problem in our police service," Rowe assured July 16 in announcing that he was sidelining Walser.

Well, Mr. Mayor, you have a big problem now.

A department that once had 13 officers is now down to five, and it’s about to get worse. This weekend, as the busy travel season continues to bring heavy traffic through town, the staffing count will be four — the acting chief, Sgt. Jeff Shelton, will leave Saturday for a long-planned family vacation. A sergeant from the Monroe Police Department will be on call in case a major incident occurs. Even then, officers could have a long wait for backup, as one did recently during a potentially deadly incident.

To leave the town’s citizens this unprotected is unconscionable, especially with an experienced, respected police chief standing ready to work but being told to stay home — for reasons unknown.

Rowe says he made the decision to ask for Walser’s resignation weeks before announcing it, and that he didn’t anticipate that the departure of some officers would put round-the-clock coverage in jeopardy. To have put the chief on leave without having a clear plan for adequate coverage was the height of irresponsibility.

Coverage, minimal as it is, is forcing the remaining officers to work large chunks of overtime, which is sure to take a physical and emotional toll, not to mention a budgetary one in a city where money already is tight.

Walser says he has done nothing wrong, and there’s no reason to doubt him. He has earned wide support and admiration in the town and the department since taking the job in 1996 after a career with the Washington State Patrol. It’s hard to imagine how removing him could be justified.

Citizens have turned out in droves to voice their anger over Rowe’s decision, and have begged him to explain it. But the mayor clearly isn’t big on communication. A controversy two years ago involving a city administrator who was once charged with a number of felonies, all of which were dropped, could have been avoided had Rowe come clean with his knowledge of the charges before the hire was made. This newspaper chided him then for keeping quiet, and it appears nothing has changed.

Whatever is truly behind this latest mess should be handled without endangering the citizens of Sultan. The police department is in desperate shape. The mayor needs to put the police chief back on the job, immediately.

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