Menu Close

Incoming Public Safety Commissioner Montagnino opposed to early promotions.

Current Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton said it’s her obligation to interview candidates and appoint the city’s next assistant police chief, according to the Daily Gazette. Jim Montagnino, who takes office January 1, called the succession plan the “wrong move,” asserting it is “not appropriate” to promote anyone while the department is under investigation by the AG’s office. If the Attorney General’s investigation finds that one of the current applicants for assistant chief was involved in the alleged retaliatory behavior under investigation, the city’s Police Department and Commissioner’s office could be embarrassed by a premature appointment. He suggested appointing someone on an interim basis would be the better move. That way, the city could react in accordance with the AG report, he said. He also suggested that it should be his administration’s task to appoint the next assistant chief because the current chief’s retirement takes effect at the end of January.