Amador County – An Ione resident and a Jackson Valley resident were authorized Tuesday to mount a signature drive on an initiative that would remove the law enforcement authority of the Ione Police Department and replace it with the Amador County Sheriff’s Office. Jim Scully, a long-time critic of Ione police, and Ione resident Denise Robertson of Stonybrook Road, both requested the city to release a title of the initiative. The city council did so Tuesday, entitling the initiative the “City of Ione Law Enforcement Services Act.” City Clerk Janice Traverso said Scully is not a resident of Ione and is not eligible to sign a petition, but was authorized in a filing by Robertson to gather signatures. In the initiative, Scully and Robertson declare that “it is essential that Ione law enforcement have an open, transparent, and responsible official procedure to receive, investigate and process citizen complaints” regarding “actions by law enforcement.” It lists among its purposes to provide Ione citizens “with law enforcement that would be professional and competent.” It seeks to “transfer responsibility for providing law enforcement service from the Ione Police Department to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.” Purposes say it would “eliminate redundancy, enhance efficiency and lower the cost of law enforcement,” and “build community trust and support via a formal and responsive citizen complaint system.” The initiative seeks to allow “Ione to use savings to balance the budget or provide other emergency service.” City Attorney Kristen Castanos told the Ione City Council Tuesday it was an illegal and unconstitutional initiative, but state law required release of the title, which initiates the process to collect signatures to place it on a ballot. Castanos said the city reserves “its option to file a lawsuit to challenge this initiative.” Councilman Lee Ard said: “I don’t agree with this at all. I don’t believe that we should put an excellent police department up to public scrutiny, just to satisfy a few people, who don’t have anything better to do than take shots at the city.” Ard said: “I’m totally opposed to this process and I felt that it should have been shut down now, and I’m very disappointed in staff and this council because it was not.” Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said she “will fight tooth-and-nail to keep” the local department, and Mayor Skip Schaufel said “I guarantee that I will want to see this lawsuit follow.” Vice Mayor David Plank said: “This no doubt will require a challenge on the city’s part.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Friday, 19 February 2010 00:55
Ione resident Mounts Drive to replace the Ione Police Department with the Sheriff’s Office
Written by Tom-
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Amador County – An Ione resident and a Jackson Valley resident were authorized Tuesday to mount a signature drive on an initiative that would remove the law enforcement authority of the Ione Police Department and replace it with the Amador County Sheriff’s Office. Jim Scully, a long-time critic of Ione police, and Ione resident Denise Robertson of Stonybrook Road, both requested the city to release a title of the initiative. The city council did so Tuesday, entitling the initiative the “City of Ione Law Enforcement Services Act.” City Clerk Janice Traverso said Scully is not a resident of Ione and is not eligible to sign a petition, but was authorized in a filing by Robertson to gather signatures. In the initiative, Scully and Robertson declare that “it is essential that Ione law enforcement have an open, transparent, and responsible official procedure to receive, investigate and process citizen complaints” regarding “actions by law enforcement.” It lists among its purposes to provide Ione citizens “with law enforcement that would be professional and competent.” It seeks to “transfer responsibility for providing law enforcement service from the Ione Police Department to the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.” Purposes say it would “eliminate redundancy, enhance efficiency and lower the cost of law enforcement,” and “build community trust and support via a formal and responsive citizen complaint system.” The initiative seeks to allow “Ione to use savings to balance the budget or provide other emergency service.” City Attorney Kristen Castanos told the Ione City Council Tuesday it was an illegal and unconstitutional initiative, but state law required release of the title, which initiates the process to collect signatures to place it on a ballot. Castanos said the city reserves “its option to file a lawsuit to challenge this initiative.” Councilman Lee Ard said: “I don’t agree with this at all. I don’t believe that we should put an excellent police department up to public scrutiny, just to satisfy a few people, who don’t have anything better to do than take shots at the city.” Ard said: “I’m totally opposed to this process and I felt that it should have been shut down now, and I’m very disappointed in staff and this council because it was not.” Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said she “will fight tooth-and-nail to keep” the local department, and Mayor Skip Schaufel said “I guarantee that I will want to see this lawsuit follow.” Vice Mayor David Plank said: “This no doubt will require a challenge on the city’s part.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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