Tuesday, May 04, 1999
FOP to rally against Shirey
Backers will gather, too
BY TANYA BRICKING
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Public support and criticism of City Manager John Shirey may be measured in dueling protests scheduled for Wednesday at City Hall.
Just as his annual review approaches, the man who oversees 7,000 city employees will be the focus of a rally.
On one side will be the city's Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Queen City Lodge 69, in the wake of 200 members' unanimous vote last week expressing “no confidence” in Mr. Shirey.
On the other side will be leaders of several black organizations and churches who have supported the city manager's decision to put two police officers involved in a fatal shooting on desk duty.
Mr. Shirey overruled police Chief Thomas Streicher Jr. last month when he ordered two police officers be taken off street duty while the investigation into the March 19 death of Michael Carpenter continues.
Officers Brent McCurley and Michael B. Miller II shot Mr. Carpenter during a traffic stop in Northside because they said they feared for their lives. The Hamilton County prosecutor's office is reviewing the police investigation about whether the shooting was justified.
But Mr. Shirey's decision came as a last straw for the FOP, President Keith Fangman said.
Officers on the city's 1,000-member force already were angry over being left out of a mediation group Mr. Shirey appointed to improve police-community relations after a 1997 police shooting.
Officers also were critical of the city's rehiring this year of two 911 workers accused of mishandling calls the night two police officers were killed in 1997.
“I think the opportunity for improvement is long past,” Officer Fangman said. “He has rebuffed the FOP's attempts to have a good working relationship time and time again. He has set back police-community relations 20 years.”
Mr. Shirey's response to the FOP has been limited. He has said only that the FOP should learn to respect authority and focus on their own jobs.
A growing segment of Mr. Shirey's support comes from people who have been critical of him in the past, such as community activist William Kirkland.
“It's important to counter the inflammatory atmosphere,” said Mr. Kirkland, 42, of Mount Airy, who represents the African-American Culture Commission, a human-rights group.
He is among the counterprotesters, who are asking that officers come to City Hall out of uniform for the rally because they will not be on official city business.
Among his own force, not everyone is on Officer Fangman's side.
Cecil Thomas, president of the Sentinel Police Association, a group of about 250 black officers, supports Mr. Shirey. “In general, he's done a decent job,” Spc. Thomas said. “You're going to always have critics.”
Officer Fangman said the rally he is calling is about more than emotions over the latest police shooting. He said it's about a crisis in leadership.
“We're not calling for his firing,” Officer Fangman said. “That's not our job. The only group that can call for a change in leadership is city council.”
Council members have been critical of Mr. Shirey, who has been manager since 1993 and earns $144,841 a year.
“My concern is Mr. Shirey has had problems before the FOP,” said Republican Councilman Charlie Winburn, who questions Mr. Shirey's progress on development issues and his ability to get along with council.
Republican Phil Heimlich said he has not yet formed an opinion about Mr. Shirey's evaluation but that he too sees room for improvement in the city manager's ability to form better relationships. Mr. Heimlich pointed out that while the city manager meets weekly with division heads, the police and fire chiefs are left out of those discussions.
But Mr. Shirey's biggest supporters include Charterite Jim Tarbell, who said Mr. Shirey's strengths include strong support from his staff.
“He has a reputation from others outside the city of being protective of the city's interests,” Mr. Tarbell said. “Some would say overprotective.”
City leaders and Officer Fangman are asking for a peaceful protest. It is to begin at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday on the steps of City Hall at 801 Plum St.
Some who plan to attend say they hope it will bring more unity than anger.
“We're not anti-police, nor are we anti-government,” said a 25-year-old Price Hill man at City Hall on Monday who called himself Endure X.
“We don't ever want to put race in the picture, but that's what this is doing,” said the man, who is black and plans to rally in support of Mr. Shirey. “This is very disturbing. It has a very divisional effect. I'm here in support of justice. Why aren't all of us concerned?”
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