Finish the Investigation: Don't Confirm Jen Louis!

No Justice- No Chief!

All over the world, tyrants are testing their powers. They embolden one another. Perhaps that is why our Berkeley City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley has decided to take extraordinary measures to confirm the nomination of Jen Louis for Berkeley Police Chief.

Why is she willing to preempt investigations by the Police Accountability Board and her very own council confirmed consultant? Why is she willing to take such a risk to speed things up? Is she afraid of what might be uncovered by these investigations? Is she eager to get her friend in place before the boat gets rocked by too much scandal? Is she afraid that Louis' proven sexual misconduct, that she brushed aside in the past with minimal consequence, will erupt if given the opportunity?

What must it feel like to be Jen Louis right now? Jen, are you excited about getting this position despite widespread opposition from Berkeley residents who expressed their desire for an inquiry into the allegations of misconduct and concerns about mismanagement? Are the rumors true that you have threatened to resign as interim chief so as to push your confirmation through?

To accept such a position before the investigations are completed is clearly not what is best for our city. One would think that to honor your 20+ years in this department you would want the genuine trust and confidence of people inside and outside of the department. You will need the trust of the community in order to actually improve the safety of our city. What a travesty to the community you claim to serve to force your appointment with a threat, as a puppet of the city manager and under suspicion by the public.

City Council, please don’t vote on this nomination at least until the investigations are complete. After that, then you can consider the nominees. Finish investigating. Berkeley deserves a thorough and transparent investigation into the allegations concerning the Bike Force, not the pushing through of a nominee mired in scandal.