To the Editor:
I was deeply saddened to read Barry Posternak’s letter in Saturday’s Herald expressing his concern about “the integrity of the (Portsmouth) Police Department.” I don’t personally know any of the officers of the Portsmouth Police Department but I suspect that 99 percent of them do not deserve to have their integrity questioned.
You two gentlemen presumably know many of the officers personally and you see the toll the Goodwin scandal is having on them individually and on the department you oversee. This scandal did not end with last month’s termination of Sgt. Goodwin.
A portion of the Roberts Report reads: “We have no explanation for why the PPD or the Police Commission did not intervene during the 2011-2012 timeframe to alert Sgt. Goodwin of a concern with policy violations and/or to recognize the adverse reflection upon the department that occurred due to his conduct.” (Note: The Roberts Report can be found on the city’s website, click Police Dept. on left banner to link “The Webber-Goodwin Investigation Task Group.”)
Your fellow commissioner, Brenna Cavanaugh (elected 2013), seems to believe, as do many Portsmouth residents who have made their feelings known at public meetings and in this newspaper, that new leadership is needed in the Portsmouth Police Dept.
It is the Police Commission that has the authority to remove (terminate) any employee of the Police Dept. When 2 of the 3 elected Police Commissioners refuse to take the next step and terminate Capt. Mike Schwartz and Chief Stephen DuBois, you do a grave disservice to the Police Department and the citizens of Portsmouth. Please reconsider your positions or defend them publicly.
If personal relationships prevent you from reconsidering your position to terminate those in leadership roles in the Police Department, please consider resigning from the Police Commission.
Bess Mosley
Portsmouth
