Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
Why did the Manteca City Council approve hiring Bob Murray and Associates to recruit for a new police chief and a new fire chief?
Are there not qualified officers on our current police department force that are qualified to be our next police chief? Some officers who have 20 plus years of experience and service to this city should have a chance to be promoted. The same thing applies to the Manteca Fire Department, They should have a fair shot at being promoted from within the ranks.
Mayor Steve DeBrum and the rubber-stamp council all want to hire a consultant to decide who should run our fire and police departments. This is going to cost taxpayers $60,000 in consulting fees for the search and then more for a thorough background check on the selected candidates.
The consultants no doubt will be looking for a KIA — a know it all — who no doubt will know nothing about what makes the Manteca departments effective. It is a sad day when the council decides there aren’t men and women in the ranks that have been putting their lives on the line for us for years that aren’t capable of being fire chief or police chief.
The entire council should hang their collective heads in shame or — better yet — resign for not showing confidence in the ranks of the police and fire departments by not promoting from the ranks.

Fred Millner
Manteca