On Tuesday, it was revealed that the City of Antioch has not conducted an Antioch police officer annual performance evaluations since 2017.
It was explained during the 2022 Annual Update presentation of the Antioch Police Department when Mayor Lamar Thorpe asked a series of questions about the department to Chief Steve Ford, which included performance evaluations.
Thorpe asked what was the policy around annual performance evaluations to which Chief Ford stated they recently enacted the process that had already existed.
“If I said we have been evaluating our officers on a yearly basis on a consistent basis. Is that an accurate statement?” asked Thorpe. “Have we been evaluating our officers every year as the policy proscribes?”
Ford said he didn’t know as he has only been with the department for less than a year (he had been appointed as interim chief in April 2022 and was named permanent chief of the Antioch Police Department as of November 2022).
Antioch Police Captain Trevor Schnitzius was called on to answer the question.
“With respect to the employee annual evaluations, those have not been done for a number of years. That has not been at the desire of the police department as the police department has a strong desire to have those evaluations done,” stated Schnitzius. “We have been trying to work with Human Resources for a long period of time to try and get those evaluations sent to us to get them completed. We have been working very diligently with Ms. Cortez to get that rectified and get that system up and running. And also to revamp the evaluation process to be more over reaching in terms of categories of evaluation and officers performance during those evaluation period.”
Thorpe then asked when was the last time all of the officers were evaluated adequately based on the policy.
“If I had to make my best assumption, that would be 2017,” stated Schnitzius.
Thorpe stated that they needed to know that police officers were being evaluated regularly based on the policy.
Questions were sent to the Antioch Police Department at 12:35 pm Wednesday and have not been answered regarding statements made by Schnitzius and the potential impacts of not having annual police officer evaluations completed such as new hires, firings or promotions. As well as what impacts it would have on certifications.
6 comments
Where was Lamar Thorpe, Lori Ogorchock and Monica Wilson when these evaluations were not occurring? Did they sweep these under the rug? Were they not aware? Were they agreeable to this? We deserve an explanation.
So we have a police captain saying that no annual performance evaluations have been done since 2017 because of a lack of cooperation between the APD and the city’s human resources department? THAT is really weak. Where was the supervision and management (at all levels) of the city for five years?
Your opinion is not fact. Period. You publishing the text messages? No, just bootlicking to stir up readers, part of the grift. You pissed that you didn’t vote when Deer Valley was being built, you didn’t vote when sec8 came in, but now you think you the man to the rescue? GTFO, move to Idaho with your cop buddies.
Okay smart guy… they have not yet been released. Try again. I’m told the DA is releasing them on Friday (April 14) — but nice try.
So no performance evaluations since 2017, and that is when Chief Contando left. This is an HR function, and they should be held responsible along with the appropriate commanding staff that is responsible for providing yearly evaluation‘s. So on both ends should be responsible,
Everyone should be accountable for their own actions, however, our mayor Lamar is not held to the same standard. His outburst during the council meeting on Tuesday shows that he is a ticking time bomb and showed the true Lamar. He will never get over trying to ruin APD and will continue the divide due to racism. Meanwhile the citizens of Antioch should be concerned for their safety with the current situation with APD staffing.
Seriously what officer would want to work for APD under his dictatorship where he gets away with anything he does. Anyone else accused of sexual harassment, a DUI, and continuing to lie on a daily basis would’ve been fired. Him and Tamisha Walker Torres, get away with murder, so to speak.
Antioch city government is a complete disaster. It’s pretty obvious why….
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