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Letter to the Editor from Retired Police Chief: Culture Doesn’t Change Overnight

On November 29, I attended the special city council meeting regarding public safety update. It was a refreshing and encouraging informational meeting for the most part. The Council, City Manager and Police Chief all pointed out there is yet much to be done to change the culture we as a community have been fearful of for the last several years.

It was my sense most of the people nearly filling the council chambers were encouraged by the updated reports of accomplishments given by the City Manager, Mr. Tippin, and Police Chief, Roger Moore. These accomplishments have been completed or started within the last 4 months of each of them being hired in their new positions. I feel Mayor, Brent Weaver, and most of his colleagues sensed a change was needed in public safety and the city in general.

The Council took a courageous move by hiring Mr. Tippin as a new City Manager in light of some criticism of some members of our community. In my opinion, Mr. Tippin is a man of vision with a fire in his belly to make Redding better. Mr. Tippin in turn hired a very competent new Police Chief in Roger Moore who in turn has a fire in his belly to see positive change in the Police Department. Both Mr. Tippin and Chief Moore are home grown but are very contemporary, have knowledge and insight of what the world around them is like.

I feel their vision and persistence with the continued support of the Council will lead us back to a sense of the comfortable secure culture this city once enjoyed. We must try to be patient. I predict that with Council support, the City Manager, Police Chief and other city staff with community involvement will see our quality of life continue to improve. Culture doesn’t change overnight.

Robert P. Blankenship, Chief of Police, Redding, CA., Retired

Guest Speaker

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