Benchmark chiefs' discussion

I am just returning from this year's meeting with the Benchmark City Chiefs. Chief Mark Beckner hosted this year's meeting in Boulder. Eighteen of the 20 cities were represented. As usual it was a great exchange of information and dialogue about our issues of mutual concern.

The much-anticipated discussion of binge drinking by young people and the legal drinking age was cordial and open-minded all around. I found an ally in Chief Dennis Harrison of Fort Collins. Following several alcohol-related deaths, the 2004 alcohol poisoning death of Samantha Spady at a Colorado State University fraternity was a catalyst for change. A broad-based coalition led by the lieutenant governor was formed, and Chief Harrison reports that there is good progress being made in addressing binge drinking with consistent efforts that sound quite similar to our ten year effort with NU Directions (now the Lincoln College Partnership.) There was a lot of discussion of the link between high risk drinking and violent crimes that victimize young people.

We also had a great round table discussion about things we are each doing that are innovative, effective, and potentially of value to other agencies. I highlighted our computer-enhanced roll calls, a training series Capt. Brian Jackson and I have been conducting to help officers prepare for career opportunities, and our efforts to improve fuel mileage through reduced idling.

Richardson, TX has a very intriguing program that really caught my eye. Chief Larry Zacharias calls it "The Richardson Challenge." It is a series of rather non-traditional challenges for new officers to complete during their first year. I want to look into that more.

Yesterday morning, we closed things up with a discussion of budget issues most of us are confronting. With a couple of exceptions, most of these 20 cities are in the same boat with Lincoln: we've grown dependent on sales tax for funding city government, and it has gone flat. We have almost all had varying degrees of pain associated with the current economic conditions.

At dinner Sunday night, I was something of a rookie at my table with a mere 33 years. Dennis Harrison (Ft. Collins, CO), Craig Steckler (Fremont, CA), David Dial (Napierville, IL) , John Douglass (Overland Park, KS), and Phil Cotton (Norman, OK) all had time on me. In this business, the average tenure of chiefs is not very long, but in this group we are all among the original chiefs who formed the Benchmark Chiefs in 1997. We can finish each other's sentences.