To the Editor:

The election of a City Marshal is a tradition here in Missouri that goes back to the earliest days of the Territory. Most positions in those old towns, including that of city marshal, that necessitated the trust and confidence of its citizens and which might have included fiduciary duties, were deemed to be better served by an election by eligible voters. This Jacksonian tradition emerged in the 1820s and emphasized greater rights for the common man by promoting the idea of political participation for ordinary citizens and opposing aristocratic rule. Obviously, much has changed since then. As cities and towns continued to grow and prosper, voter sentiment and trust transformed to a system that placed the responsibility for filling the position of city marshal to the elected officials of those communities. This modernized process has proven to be more thorough, resilient, and actually places a greater degree of accountability into the hands of voters. The Missouri Municipal League, of which Fayette is a member, has reported that 2 or 3 cities each year switch from the elected to an appointed format.

The city of Fayette faces an uncertain future when it comes to its police force and policing. Chief Ford and Captain Lanham, the force’s second highest ranking officer, have both announced their intent to retire this August. For the Chief it is nearly 7 months before the end of his 4 year elected term. Given these circumstances voters can hardly expect to have sufficient time to vet candidates who may run for the office. To be sure, Chief Ford and Captain Lanham have served the city honorably and with distinction for many years. In support of their efforts the city council over the past couple years voted unanimously to raise department pay, assume a greater share of health insurance costs, and offer sign-on bonuses for prospective new officers. The city also supports a well-maintained fleet of patrol vehicles.

As a current member of the Council I support efforts to change Fayette’s method of filling the position of Chief of Police from one of an elected position to a position that is appointed by the City Council. I am convinced that the mayor, the city administrator, and the council can establish a set of rigid professional qualifications which will ensure only the top candidates are considered for the position. The city can expect to draw from a wide candidate pool absent the limitations of local election requirements. I believe an appointed chief will be driven to elevate the morale of the force. One can expect an appointed chief of police will also enforce laws and local ordinances with greater impartiality, especially unpopular laws, because his or her efforts won’t be influenced by the considerations of the next election. Lastly, given the realities of our day, the increase of potential liability of cities such as Fayette for lawsuits means we should expect an appointed chief of police to be knowledgeable of recent changes to law and court decisions, and train his officers accordingly.   

Sincerely,

Grafton H. Cook

Alderman, Southwest Ward