Swope Selection As Chief
Is Grand Slam For Citizens
You can tell when you’ve hit a home run in baseball, by the loud groan that comes from the fans of the opposing team. When I saw the reaction by a former “sports reporter” for the Post-Dispatch to the City’s selection of Sheriff Tim Swope as Police Chief, I knew we had hit a grand slam.
Sure he was drafted late in the season, but Tim Swope is a hometown favorite. His “come from behind” big victory in the Sheriff’s race (without the use of steroids) was a classic. He already has the endorsement of the citizens of St. Charles who, with their votes, put their faith and confidence in Tim to be their chief law enforcement official in the County.
For the new Chief, this is a homecoming. St. Charles is, and was, Tim’s hometown since he was five years old. He grew up here, graduated from St. Charles High and spent a lot of his free time at the Boys and Girls Club. Did I mention he played baseball in college? His parents still live here. It was that connection to this community that helped Tim make up his mind to take the job when it was offered. His hometown needed him.
It is also a great career move. As Sheriff, Tim earned $69,000. After the next election the salary for Sheriff goes up to around $80,000, but you have to raise and spend that much getting elected. As Police Chief for the City of St. Charles, Tim will start at $110,000. The City also offers better health coverage and retirement benefits.
The departments are about the same size from a manpower standpoint. But as Police Chief, Tim Swope will have more of a free hand than he did working with County Executive Joe Ortwerth. Just as the County is trying to take control of the fire districts, ambulance district and our own fire department (a move that would raise our property taxes significantly), Joe has also had his eye on controlling the Sheriff’s Department. They took away control of the dispatchers, jailers and bailiffs from the elected Sheriff. They moved the Sheriff’s Office, against the will of the Sheriff, to O’Fallon. I’m not even sure that was legal as St. Charles is still the County Seat.
My understanding is the Sheriff tried to explain the inefficiencies of moving the department miles away from the site of the County Jail, but his advice fell on deaf ears. The new building in O’Fallon has three sets of County Seals on it, but not the Sheriff’s Department seal. Sounds like Ortwerth doesn’t even want anyone to know the County Sheriff is an independently elected office.
The idea of asking Tim Swope to consider serving as Police Chief began with a chance meeting on North Main Street. I had the opportunity to introduce City Administrator Allan Williams to the Sheriff for the first time outside of Tony’s Restaurant. Allan Williams gets the credit for following up and offering the job to Swope.
A few weeks later he floated the idea by the Mayor and me. We each had the opportunity to personally interview Swope. I already knew the Sheriff, but was anxious to hear his vision for law enforcement in our community. I was impressed. So were other Council members who spoke with him.
Of course, I was disappointed that another local resident, Major Robert Lowery, could not be our Police Chief because of the inexplicable opposition to his appointment by the Mayor. In the meantime, we avoided hiring a few other applicants, each with their own share of baggage. That gave lots of fodder to one local gossip columnist, who no doubt would have hired the first stranger with a sheepskin and a badge, so long as he was from out of town. But the City Council held out for someone with local roots, someone who knows and cares about the City of St. Charles.
I believe the Council will give Chief Swope the support and backing he needs to address our crime problems, meth labs, domestic violence, vandalism, speeding, etc. I believe Tim Swope will provide the leadership the department has needed for so long. He will help us get the most from our dedicated professionals and be fair, fast and firm in dealing with any personnel problems.
Swope has also shown himself to be creative in getting the most out of limited resources as Sheriff. He was able to get the cooperation of cities across the County to be part of a collective SWAT Team. After some initial resistance to change, I believe five of our officers are now trying out for the team. Swope also established a Meth Task Force and secured voluntary sites for Sheriff’s Substations when the County wouldn’t fund them.
The voters won’t be allowed to fill the vacancy in the Sheriff’s Office in a special election. While the County Charter provides for County Councilmen to be selected in special elections, vacancies in countywide offices are appointed by the County Executive. The appointee must also be approved by the County Council from someone of the same political party as the prior officeholder. That person will then serve till January 1st 2007.
Fortunately, voters only have to wait till August 2006 for the next primary elections for Sheriff and the General Election in November of next year. Word on the street is Major Lowery is being approached by both Democrats and Republicans to toss his hat in the ring. Being elected Sheriff would certainly be a nice outcome for the citizens and for a man of great personal character and talent.
I know the other dugout is solemn. They certainly didn’t want the City Council to be so decisive or swift in approving the City Administrator’s recommendation. This wasn’t the outcome they wanted. They would have preferred the debate over a Police Chief go on forever. I’ve already heard a few of them complain that Tim Swope doesn’t have the kind of degree “they” would have liked. But he has something they lack…humility. He’s the real deal and now he’s our Chief of Police.
Tuesday night you could hear the crack of the bat. The cheers for the hometown team…the groans from the visitors.
And that’s a winner!
