PORTSMOUTH
Interim Police Chief William Corvello agreed Monday night to stay in his post until at least January, reversing a decision he announced a week ago to resign effective Sept. 1.
Corvello spoke about his decision after spending nearly an hour in closed session with the mayor, council members and the city manager on speaker phone at City Hall.
"I listened to what they had to say," Corvello said.
He declined to elaborate on whether council members had addressed concerns that Corvello raised in his resignation letter dated Aug. 18.
Those concerns included the city funding the Sheriff's Office for law enforcement activities and what Corvello described as "the unhealthy state of the two departments competing for funds during each budget cycle."
City Manager Kenneth Chandler said the City Council had taken a strong initiative to talk with Corvello about what it would take to have him continue to work for the city.
"We're thrilled," Vice Mayor Bill Moody Jr. said. He would not directly address the concerns Corvello raised in his letter.
Corvello, 76, said he had been reluctant to leave because work remained to be completed. He also had served as the city's interim chief in 2002 and 2003.
Portsmouth Sheriff Bill Watson said in a phone interview he was "happy as a clam" that Corvello decided to stay.
"We're not competing with them," Watson said of the Police Department. "We're there to work with them."
Chandler said the former state police superintendent had already done some great things for Portsmouth.
"People enjoy coming to work for this man," said Lt. D.K Butler, immediate past president of the Portsmouth Fraternal Order of Police. "He's the best there is."
Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney Earle Mobley described Corvello as the best chief the city has had in a long time.
"We've had some good ones, but they just haven't stayed," Mobley said.
Portsmouth has just begun the process of searching for a new chief, which Corvello has been assisting with, Chandler said.
"Things are in motion," Chandler said. "However, we've secured his talent for a finite period."
Corvello, who has more than 40 years of law enforcement experience, also served as interim police chief in Newport News in 1994.
After he announced his resignation there, he stayed after an outcry of public support.
Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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Chief
RJ, I was not condoning or praising the Civil Service Commission, only stating the reasons the Chief does not have the sole hiring and firing privliges. I agree with you 100%. As for officers leaving, there are two words that totally explain that, MONEY & MORAL! Portsmouth are well known for being the best trained officers in the area, that is why so many departments are eager to "scoop" them away. Some large area departments do not allow their Uniform Patol officers to work or investigate any felonies, they have to call a detective to take over. Portsmouth Uniform officers are very capable of investigating and putting together Felony Case Files. Of course they are not major felonies such as homicide etc., but do include burglaries, larcenies, narcotics and even paper crimes. There are also U.P. officers trained in forensics, called Field Evidence Technicians, that are trained by the Forensics Bureau to handle situations, evidence and crime scenes so Forensic capabilites are on the street at all times without having to call out the Forensics Unit for normal, routine cases.
Crime Suppression Unit
My point exactly on the crime suppression unit......let the chief be the Chief Law Enforcement Officer with the help of the sheriff. I workeded for the Norfolk Sheriff's Office in the early 80's and am now a police officer in a state where the sheriff of our county is the Chief Law Enforcement official but our drug task force is made up of city, town and county deputies and is supervised by the largest city police department in the county with all the other agencies on the board. No turf wars and no one gets their feelings hurt because someone else is in charge. This is a very sucessfull drug unit. The point is....the sheriff and his deputies are here to stay....work with them or they can work alone. Virginia happens to be unique because you have city sheriffs with law enforcement powers.
it's broken and needs to be fixed
Rick, what do the political appointees that populate the civil service commission know about Police work?
Short answer---nothing.
Why has Portsmouth run through 8 Chiefs in 6 years? Why have so many talented and promising Police Dept employees left in the last few years?
The council needs to stop playing games with our safety and commit to a permanent solution.
No more excuses.
Sorry for the double post.
Sorry for the double post. ALso the Orlando Sheriff's Department is a County Dept. , which means they are road or patrol deputies, meaning they are constitutional deputies not correctional. Not to say the deputies in Portsmouth working in the CIU Unit aren't constitutional, they are, but they have no patrol jurisdiction or responsibilities, such as a County.
Chief, comments
Great comments, but some inacurate details. First, the Chief cannot have sole hire and fire capability. The Portsmouth Police Dept. is under Civil Service rules and regulations. He is not a Sheriff who does have sole firing , hiring capabilities. Secondly, there IS a task force made up of Portsmouth Police officers and State Troopers that work in Portsmouth in the summer, but no Sheriff's deputies are included. At least the Chief thought enough of the personnel to stay on, awhile longer.
Chief Corvello
I am glad to hear that Chief Corvello is staying, even if it is just for a little while longer. It truly takes someone special to take on such a role and the challenges that a leader in the position of Police Chief in Portsmouth must encounter. I applaud you Chief Corvello, your leadership not only inspires others, but properly places others in positions of power on notice that they have a duty to do the right things. The men and women of the Portsmouth Police Department deserve the best, they are amongst the hardest workers I have ever known.
I hope at some point and time you will get to enjoy the retirement with your family that you so well deserve. Thanks for caring about the future of the Portsmouth Police Department and the citizens who need them.
HAPPY AS A CLAM ?
How happy is a clam ? I don't think a clam is a very happy creature and if they are how can you tell? I know they are not happy in chowder.
Kevin Roper
You're always on pointe but this time I must question one part of your post:
" May I suggest a crime suppression task force made up of police officers and sheriff's deputies."
Isn't that what's already in place that the PD is grousing about? The CEU is working well but the PD is wanting the limelight. Is that what you mean? Give the PD credit by letting the chief head it up? I'll bet the Sheriff would be fine with that. He's more interested in cutting crime and not getting a notch in his proverbial political belt.
You may be on to something!
No winners yet
No one has won anything yet. Now is the time for the chief, sheriff and city officials (with citizen input) to sit down and come up with some answers that may help make Portsmouth a safer place to live and visit. May I suggest a crime suppression task force made up of police officers and sheriff's deputies. Let the chief or his representative supervise it and have a sheriff's rep and a city official on the board. Even invite the state police to join. This concept is not new, it works in different jurisdictions all over the country. The Orlando Florida Metro Bureau of Investigation is one example on a much larger scale.
Smart Move
First, let me applaud the Chief for being able to read through the City Council, and calling their bluff. I truly believe the Council had no true intentions of reshaping the Police Department or giving them the funding and tools they truly need. I also believe the Chief pretty much "saw the writing on the wall", and figured why waste his time if the City was content on leaving things the way they are. Again, I say good for Him, and congradulate Him for his efforts and dedication.
Time to fix our PD
Corvello had council in a pickle, he doesn't need the job so he could put his foot down and did.
Good work Chief!
Council:
The Citizens of Portsmouth want a strong PD. It is past time for you to allow this to happen.
Three steps you must take-
-give the Chief hire/fire/appointment power
-allocate realistic levels of funding to adequately support the PD
(third but most important)
-STOP USING OUR PD AS POLITICAL PAWNS
Act quickly, first councilman in line is the hero---and maybe our next mayor
Keep
Corvello get rid of the whacky Mayor
Welcome back
Someone finally saw the light!!!! About time city hall woke up !!!!