PETITION TO REMOVE WDFW DIRECTOR ANDERSON, CHIEF CROWN & DEPUTY CHIEF CENCI

[Curly]

I'm thinking of writing a letter to the governor's office and wdfw commission and asking what they are doing about Cenci.  I really want their take on the allegations and find out why he hasn't been fired yet.  Do you think that would be worthwhile?

[Bob33]

I suspect the governor probably read the letter, and asked an aide or assistant to look into it. "Who is this guy?"; "who else is complaining?"; "how true is this stuff?"; "what's the political fallout?", etc.

I also suspect it's a small blip on his radar, and unless there are more forces brought to bear nothing will come of it.  There are hunting related organizations such as the Hunter Heritage Council, Safari Club, and others. Why aren't they involved?

http://ofm.wa.gov/budget13/highlights/proposed_budget_expenditures.pdf

[Knocker of rocks]

Knocker of rocks:

It seems incredible that you sum up 8 pages of serious allegations into the above list.  Either you think this type of behavior is acceptable, or you didn't read the entire letter, or you just don't understand what you read, or you work in the WDFW headquarters.  Any one of these allegations would get an officer in serious trouble if not fired.  Remember these same characters fired an officer and demoted a Sgt. for much less.

I read it.
1) Somebody got fired - No other context given
2) A-B: Complaints about the hiring system
    C: Hearsay slander about the new hire
    D: Complaints about the Union not being involved in the new hire - So what?
    E-F: Complaints about other hires
3) Complaints about top heavy management.  Something to discuss with the Commission and politicians, but certainly nothing anybody would consider
     firing the top three for
4) Allegations of poor police standards, some of which are ancient.  The younger violations should be revisited.
5) Value judgements best left for the political process
6) I have no idea what this is about. 
7) A mistake made in front of the media. 
Hearsay
9)  Big deal, they changed the name.  The horrors!!!!
10)  Assumptions with no proof.
11) Union officer fired
12) Political issue
13) Tripe
14) More tripe about driving
15) Promotions: complaints about
16) No evidence that the investigation by the private law firm was flawed, only that you disagree with it
17) Budgetary issues that we should all be at odds with
18) Your petition - why is this even on your list of allegations?
19-20)  More bla-bla-bla about your petition
21) Allegations not to talk to you
22) Given without proof
23-30)  Bunch of tripe forwarded by the union

As you said  "Any one of these allegations would get an officer in serious trouble if not fired".  I think that is an exaggeration.   This is a list of sour grapes.

[ucwarden]

I'm thinking of writing a letter to the governor's office and wdfw commission and asking what they are doing about Cenci.  I really want their take on the allegations and find out why he hasn't been fired yet.  Do you think that would be worthwhile?

Not sure if it would do any good, but might be worth a try.  Thanks

[ucwarden]

Knocker of rocks:

It seems incredible that you sum up 8 pages of serious allegations into the above list.  Either you think this type of behavior is acceptable, or you didn't read the entire letter, or you just don't understand what you read, or you work in the WDFW headquarters.  Any one of these allegations would get an officer in serious trouble if not fired.  Remember these same characters fired an officer and demoted a Sgt. for much less.

I read it.
1) Somebody got fired - No other context given
2) A-B: Complaints about the hiring system
    C: Hearsay slander about the new hire
    D: Complaints about the Union not being involved in the new hire - So what?
    E-F: Complaints about other hires
3) Complaints about top heavy management.  Something to discuss with the Commission and politicians, but certainly nothing anybody would consider
     firing the top three for
4) Allegations of poor police standards, some of which are ancient.  The younger violations should be revisited.
5) Value judgements best left for the political process
6) I have no idea what this is about. 
7) A mistake made in front of the media. 
Hearsay
9)  Big deal, they changed the name.  The horrors!!!!
10)  Assumptions with no proof.
11) Union officer fired
12) Political issue
13) Tripe
14) More tripe about driving
15) Promotions: complaints about
16) No evidence that the investigation by the private law firm was flawed, only that you disagree with it
17) Budgetary issues that we should all be at odds with
18) Your petition - why is this even on your list of allegations?
19-20)  More bla-bla-bla about your petition
21) Allegations not to talk to you
22) Given without proof
23-30)  Bunch of tripe forwarded by the union

As you said  "Any one of these allegations would get an officer in serious trouble if not fired".  I think that is an exaggeration.   This is a list of sour grapes.

What can I say; you are entitled to your opinions.  I don't understand how you can read this and come out with an opinion that there is nothing (or not much) there, but that's your opinion.  I do take a little exception to your implications that there is no proof, when I state I have all the supporting documentation available. 

I would like to know who you work for, because if you feel this is all a lot of hot air that doesn't amount to anything, I want to work where you do.

[Knocker of rocks]

The coming up with a list and seeing if anything sticks tactic is normally futile

[Landowner]

Gotta share the sentiments of ucwarden.

If the agencies in this state have even half the problems as outlined in that letter about WDFW, then this state is a mess. 

The fact that a high ranking law enforcement officer would go public on live television (and in an instant internet world) with the announcement of the Operation Cody arrests before other law enforcement officers had even began their arrest efforts that day is remarkable.

Anyone that  thinks that letter is a bunch of nothing is willing to accept and look past a lot of BS in state agencies. 

[ctwiggs1]

I know a currently active game warden who is one of the few people in this world that I don't fact-check.  If he says something, I believe it.

I'll ask him tonight what his stance is on all this.  If he says this is as bad as you say it is, I'll send the letter in a heartbeat.

Curtis

[whacker1]

ucwarden - I like your intent, but i think you are battling a poorly managed department with very difficult to prove wrong doings.  And even if you prove these wrong doings, you have a leadership that seems to side step any actual discipline.   While i agree that many of these actions are ethically wrong and of those some morally wrong, unless the department is willing to do something about the problem individuals, we as citizens and those employees working for WDFW are stuck between a rock and a hard place.  It is clear by your reports that there is a double standard for certain people.  While this is wrong, it is a problem in many departments with in State Government and most obvious law enforcement offices that we have discussed on hunting-washington before, City of Seattle, and City of Spokane.

It seems to be a trait in Law Enforcement that there are three over simplified personas of those employees: 1) Those that feel that they should be treated at higher standard for any wrong doing.  2) those that fee that they should be treated as any other citizen.  3) Those that feel that they are above the law and should be given favors by others in law enforcement for merely holding a badge.  It seems to me that #3 is the problem you are dealing with and furthers the double standard I mentioned above.

I don't think you are going to have much traction with your current format unless someone first person in items #25, 27, 29 to file an Employment Practices claim alleging "hostile work environment, Sexual Harrassment, Bullying, or Harrasment"  Your next most probable option would be if some legislator took a particular interest in this case, sadly the one legislator that I thought would take an interest has 180 degree different view than you.

#23, and the double standard in miss-handling of evidence are the issues that would end most careers.
#24 just happened with Spokane County deputy sheriff and he got his job back after being fired. "The arbitrator found that the consequence was too severe".  this wasn't with an employee

All of the other issues you itemized reak of a bully at the top with a "my way or the highway" mentality and "do as I say not as I do" leadership style.


Bottom line is Cenci is going to need to have to cause a traffic accident while intoxicated in a department vehicle, with and underage hooker in the vehicle, flee the scene, and try to cover it up on the following days in order to have any real consequences.  It is obvious that the other leadership is condoning the activity or at least condoning it by turning a blind eye.

I wish you luck in your endeavor, but sadly I think you have a tremendous uphill battle. 

If you decide to go public with your Media sources.  My advice is to work closely with the Media Source and make sure to lay out well the most egregious abuses where the double standard was used and evidence in the background supports the lies and deceit.  If you come forward with this list, the general public will overlook the largest issues, because it is watered down by those that are less concerning. It is information overload for the general public that is unfamiliar with the department and procedures and policy to digest.   It appears to me that you are likely be too close to the issue and that the passion for correction makes you just lay it all out.  That strategy won't be helpful to you in the long run.  You need a to take an issue or maybe two and run with them.  If you can gain momentum, then when asked you bring the next in line of egregious activities with a well organized back drop of evidence.   

You need an investigative journalist to help you lay this out and bring it forward to reign in the information overload.
again just my 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Investigative journalist= JESSIE JONES KING 5 NEWS!!!!! GET JESSIE!!!!!!

[idahohuntr]

Anyone that  thinks that letter is a bunch of nothing is willing to accept and look past a lot of BS in state agencies.

I don't think anybody is saying the letter is "nothing"...it just falls far short of what it would take to remove top administrators from their posts.  A whole bunch of the letter comes off as a disgruntled ex-employee...and that is why it is really easy for people in power (governor, legislators etc.) to brush this off as they have. 

No doubt Cenci is a pos who should be fired...and hopefully this will help setup the discussion for hiring the next chief of LE whenever that time comes...but there is nothing so scathing that would trigger immediate removal.  In fact, a lot of it falls under the "life is not fair" rule...promotions, favoritism, nepotism, etc. occurs in many public and private workplaces...it is not unique to wdfw and while it sucks it is rarely something that results in discipline/termination.

I think any further pressure on wdfw admin has to come from folks besides UC...he is easy to impeach as just another disgruntled employee...its not fair to him...but life's not fair.  I believe the focus should be on Cenci and not Crown or Anderson.

[MuleDeerCrazy]

It appears Phil Anderson is hanging it up the end of this year now anyway...

[Curly]

I sure wouldn't stick around any longer if I were him.  What a crappy job it must be.

But, I also have to wonder why Anderson doesn't remove Cenci? Wouldn't that be his call to remove him?  Or does the Commission have the power?   

[WSU]

It appears Phil Anderson is hanging it up the end of this year now anyway...

Where'd you hear that?

[Bob33]

I sure wouldn't stick around any longer if I were him.  What a crappy job it must be.

But, I also have to wonder why Anderson doesn't remove Cenci? Wouldn't that be his call to remove him?  Or does the Commission have the power? 

He could remove Cenci. Ironically, he may have been the best bet to do so but the fact that he was targeted as well may have caused him to close ranks.