Editor’s note: The Daily Freeman-Journal took a look at the performance audit of the Webster City Police Department. Wednesday’s story focused on the issues; part two focused on the solutions.

The audit of the Webster City Police Department by Tennessee-based McGrath Consulting began in mid-December 2024, immediately after the resignation of former Chief of Police Shiloh Mork. A team of experienced policing experts interviewed all employees of the WCPD on a high-priority basis, and also observed the onsite workings of the department as it then existed.

Two weeks into the audit, McGrath briefed City Manager John Harrenstein. As the department was without a chief, Harrenstein requested one of McGrath’s senior consultants return to Webster City to, as he put it in a memo to the mayor and city council, “… assure police operations run smoothly during the transition in the police chief position.”

The transition Harrenstein referred to is the need to hire a new chief of police. A search for a new chief began at once and is still in progress.

The consultant who returned to Webster City is Ermin Blevins, mentioned in the first story in this two-part series. Blevins has been mentoring the city’s acting chief of police, Eric McKinney.

Blevins has also begun overseeing implementation of recommendations suggested in the audit.

The audit made 32 specific recommendations for improvement of the WCPD. Harrenstein has indicated his support for all of them except Nos. 5 and 30.

Recommendation No. 5 reads: “The police and city administration should further discuss the merits and implementation of a School Resource Officer program with the appropriate administrative representatives of the school district.”

Harrenstein, a strong advocate of schools policing, commented, “The audit recommends hiring a school resource officer for the department, and as the report suggests, should be, in large part, funded by the school district. I have discussed the benefit of this position with the school district. The superintendent and I agree that issues, regarding school patrol, can be managed through a newly-created “Adopt-a-School” program.”

Adopt-a-School requires on-duty police officers to regularly patrol inside schools, to increase students’ familiarity with local police officers, and allow officers an opportunity to meet, and know, students, faculty and staff.

Harrenstein continued: “The acting chief has directed officers to patrol schools daily and begin eating lunch with the students, to develop positive relationships between the department and students/staff. My office will receive updates on the school patrol monthly.”

McGrath’s recommendation No. 30 reads: “Add the position of civilian code enforcement officer to the police department.”

Reacting to this, Harrenstein said, “Some time ago, the police department was provided with funds to hire an additional officer. This funding was linked to the new officer’s proactive participation in nuisance abatement and code enforcement. This system is now working well, and we do not believe an additional staff member is required at this time.”

Commenting on recommendation No. 23, which deals with WCPD’s dispatch center, Harrenstein noted: “Paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 on page 60 identifies important issues relating to the current method of dispatching practiced by the city and the department. As a result of these findings, both city management and the acting police chief are exploring opportunities to resolve these issues.”

The McGrath audit had specific recommendations for reorganization of the WCPD. Here’s its recommendation No. 4: “reorganize the police section of the department to include one (1) chief of police, two (2) patrol sergeants, one (1) investigations and support sergeant, one (1) school resource officer (if budgeted and approved by school district), and nine (9) patrol officers.”

While agreeing in principle that reorganization had merit, Harrenstein suggested he needed more time to think through the specific recommendations before making a decision.

Despite the best of human intentions, human enterprises are susceptible to failure from time-to-time. In the case of the WCPD, it appears to have, at times, lost sight of best practices in policing.

Now that a qualified consultant has surveyed the situation and made clear recommendations for restoring confidence in the department and its operations, it’s up to city administration to see that implementation of those best policing practices lead to the long-term change the city needs, and deserves.