Warren police problems won't end with gag order

Before Warren Mayor Michael O'Brien signs off on a new confidentiality policy -- a gag order by any other name? -- for the police department, we would urge him to ask Chief John Mandopoulos and Safety-Service Director Doug Franklin this question: Can you cite specific instances where an officer's life was endangered or an investigation was blown because someone from the department leaked information to the press?
The question goes to the heart of the effort by Mandopoulos to silence the men and women in blue.
"There are conditions to work here, and I'm making sure the lid gets clamped," the chief says. "If people want to go talk to the press, then they'll be fired. The leaking of information will stop."
Leaking of what information, pray tell? That under Mandopoulos' watch there have been a spate of lawsuits stemming from the way some officers have dealt with residents? That the department has been in the national spotlight because of complaints about excessive force and possibly illegal strip-searches by officers? That the operation of the police department has attracted the attention of the national president of the Urban League, Marc H. Morial? That morale in the department is low?
From where we sit, the confidentiality policy -- it was to have gone into effect this week but is being reworked to address the concerns of the police union -- is nothing more than a blatant attempt by the chief to manage the news.
And that can't make the mayor comfortable.
After all, throughout his political career, O'Brien has been a strong advocate of open government. His popularity with reporters during his tenure as a county commissioner and before that a member of city council stemmed from the fact that he was honest and forthright about the conduct of the people's business.
Criminal investigations
We were thus taken aback when Franklin, who served with O'Brien in council, joined the chief in wanting to gag police employees. Franklin said last week he believes the policy was being adopted to make sure criminal investigations are not hampered.
Has the safety-service director reviewed the records to determine just how many, if any, of the investigations have been hampered because of officers' talking to the press?
Here's what the policy says, in part: "Unauthorized acquisition, disclosure, faxing and/or discussion of any information relating to Warren Police Department matters, current or past employees, job applicants, business activities or computerized data is cause for disciplinary action, which may result in corrective action up to and including termination."
Talk about open-ended.
The problems plaguing the police department are not the result of loose lips or of civic minded employees objecting to the improper behavior of their colleagues. The fault lies with the chief.
We have made no secret of our disdain for Mandopoulos and have publicly called on O'Brien to bring about a change at the top.
But the mayor has chosen to stick by him and insists that the department is turning the corner. He contends that the number complaints has fallen. If so, why does Mandopoulos need to gag his underlings?
The O'Brien administration must know that secrecy in government is a slippery slope.
The only way the department will shed its negative image is if the mayor can talk the chief into giving up the civil service position.
The adoption of the confidentiality policy could lead to the conclusion that the mayor, his safety-service director and the chief have something to hide.