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By Jerry Sena
West Jefferson Police Chief Brian Grogan wants to know what the
town's people think of his police force. He'll begin next week
mailing out about 300 surveys to randomly chosen homes within
the West Jefferson town limits with an invitation to offer their
perception of the town's safety and the police department's performance.
"It's just part of my desire to serve the people of the town
better," Grogan said Monday.
Grogan was named to the post temporarily in January, following
the controversial firing of his predecessor, James Roten. In February,
Town Manager Greg McGinnis named Grogan as Roten's permanent replacement
- or his replacement for at least the next year, after which McGinnis
said he'd reassess his performance.
Since immediately following Roten's dismissal, Grogan had expressed
a desire to earn the post and added his application to approximately
40 others in what McGinnis called a regional and statewide search
for a new chief.
Roten's firing was the subject of widespread speculation but not
much has been said about it on the record. McGinnis said communication
between him and Roten was strained and ineffective.
Grogan, who found himself thrust by circumstances into the center
of the controversy, promised to be responsive to the needs of
the citizenry. He called the survey a step in that direction.
The survey begins with eight multiple-choice questions about the
town's safety and the perception of police ef-fectiveness and
service. It closes with three open ended questions inviting specific
criticisms and suggestions on the performance of the police force.
To encourage participation in the survey, the town is offering
a $50 gift certificate donated by the West Jefferson Business
Association. A drawing will be held offering everyone who completes
and returns a survey by June 2 the chance to win. The certificate
is redeemable at over 50 locations in town.
A ticket stub, included with the survey, will allow citizens to
submit surveys anonymously and still claim the prize.
The surveys should begin arriving in mailboxes by the end of this
week, Grogan said. They'll include a postage-paid return envelope
as well.
Grogan said surveys would be hand-delivered to business in the
area and that surveys are also available for pickup at town hall
during regular business hours.
He wouldn't say whether the results of the survey would be made
public at anytime in the future but did say there may be a follow
up once a significant number had been returned. |
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