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Dewey commissioners approve consultant

To seek organizational analysis of police department
February 1, 2019

Dewey Beach commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 21 to have a consultant conduct an organizational analysis of the town’s police department.

Dewey Mayor TJ Redefer said commissioners had approved a police consultant in 2017 and had budgeted $25,000 for the analysis that was never spent. “Quite frankly, this is overdue,” he said.

Commissioner Gary Persinger said the analysis will focus on ensuring high standards in departmental policies and procedures.“It’s not a ‘gotcha,’” he said.

Up to this point, there had been no discussion of an RFP. Then, Redefer said he was surprised Commissioner David Moskowitz solicited an RFP, but that he welcomed the opportunity to find better ways to use seasonal police and code enforcement officers. He said he wanted to talk to Moskowitz about recusing himself from police matters.

Moskowitz said all he did was call the consultant commissioners approved in 2017 and ask him to revise his original RFP with updated pricing. The original price was reduced to $21,600. “As a point of order, there shouldn’t be personal attacks,” Moskowitz said.

Moskowitz said the consultant, Gregory Warren, would evaluate procedures and processes, budgets and technology issues. “It’s a business decision,” he said. “I’m willing to spend the money to make the police better; $21,000 would be money well spent in helping the police going forward.”

Town Manager Scott Koenig said Warren’s proposal was discussed with him when he was hired in March 2018. He said a consultant could help with police staffing and recruiting strategies. “It’s a good idea for him to come in and do this,” he said. “I have no objections to it.”

Commissioner Dale Cooke said the analysis could help save insurance costs. “We are being killed by insurance policies,” he said. “For a while, we could only get three companies nationally to insure us.”

Commissioners authorized Koenig to seek a consultant to conduct an organizational analysis, allowing him to conduct an RFP or use Warren’s services.

 

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