BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019) — Happy tax day while the government steals you blind. We can report, however, good news.

The gangs just up and left. Drug dealers have turned their wads to plowshares. Crack addicts gave up the Caspar. Robbers lie down with Realtors. Crips are seen buying Bloods beers at The Highland. North Street prostitutes flock to noon Mass at St. Joe. Pittsfield has witnessed an end to crime.

Something drove the bad guys out of town.

What caused this miracle? THE PLANET, seeing reports of lawless hordes getting neck burns from Exit signs, wondered as well. With the help of our spies, we got to the bottom of this exodus.

Pittsfield’s Police Advisory Group (PAG) conducted its first meeting.

(SAID REVERENTLY) And Lee surrendered.

———- 000 ———-

The nascent PAG, just another election-year gimmick, recently met with Mayor Linda Tyer. That proved enough for the city’s bad elements. Who wouldn’t be scared of a toothless board composed of do-gooders, good-for-my-resume types, and suck-ups such as the ubiquitous budinski, Drew Herzig. And you didn’t even know he was Polish.

For those keeping score at home, here’s the list of PAG-a-teers:

• Herzig
• Ellen Maxon
• Lynn Wallace
• Sheila Sholes-Ross
• Alf Barbalunga
• Ivan Victoriano
• Michael Feldberg
• Sloan Letman

Al Capone wouldn’t stand a chance.

———- ooo ———-

Sources say police chief Michael Wynn met with Tyer before the group’s formation. He wasn’t happy. The mayor appeased him by appointing  to the PAG “friends not foes,” preferably those without knowledge of policing. A local barrister told THE PLANET that Wynn agreed to publicly support PAG only after Tyer assured him the group would have:

• no review powers
• no authority to independently investigate
• no ability to discipline
• no access to internal documents
• no subpoena power
• and no access to personnel records

Moreover

• It can’t conduct hearings.
• It can’t be a part of internal investigations.
• It can’t adjudicate.

Actiing city solicitor Stephen “Pag” Pagnotta, “Pag” confirmed all this.

To justify this whitewash, Tyer and Wynn cited “concerns with civil service law.” Right. Local attorneys familiar with municipal law tell THE PLANET the PAG could have been given authority to do all of the above without concern with civil service issues. They also said the feint of “We can’t discuss this; it’s a personnel matter” could “easily” have been dealt with by language in the PAG’s constitutional documents. Speaking of which, PAG’s enabling documents haven’t been made public. Are there even such papers? Sources aren’t sure. We think not which, if true, leaves Pittsfield with a powerless advisory group that has no defined mission. Perfect.

Wynn, though, made good on his promise of public “support.”

“We were not in any way opposed to the formation of the board,” Wynn said. Talk about your ringing endorsements. That’s like the general manager of a slumping team expressing “full confidence” in the general manager. Anyone familiar with bureaucratic psychobabble would know Wynn’s statement means the opposite, and he will make sure the eunuched PAG keeps its nose out of his department. Seems the rabbi in this case deliberately chopped off a little too much.

Tyer called the PAG “a useful tool” that would provide more transparency (as if there was some to begin with) into the workings of the PPD. That’s all Pittsfield needs, another “useful tool.” Actually, the PAG has become another ax whose fall widens the deep division with the PPD in deep division. You and Aunt Edna’s pet poodle can be sure that whatever paper the PAG produces to justify its miserable existence will be promptly fingerprinted, booked, and sent to the circular file.

Think of the crumpled papers as job security for janitors.

————————————————————————————————-

“God sends his teachers unto every age” — James Russell Lowell

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information, hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.