Police Chief Steven Mazzie’s appearance at the virtual city council meeting Monday night proved once again that having a humble, smart, savvy longtime police chief who knows what he is doing with the Everett police force is worth its weight in gold.
He answered Councilor at Large Gerly Adrien’s questions about the police department’s various policies regarding report- ing police violence against residents, the use of choke holds (which have been banned since the 1990’s here) and annual training parameters to meet the demands of the new age that appears to be upon us.
Without raising his voice or batting an eyelash, Mazzie answered the councilor’s questions like the consummate professional he has always shown himself to be.
He is a very hip guy, who firmly is in command of a first-rate police force that knows the laws and follows them.
He knows well all his men and women wearing the uniform and they understand from him that they are held to a higher standard working under him.
Leadership starts at the top.
At the Everett Police Department, leadership starts with Chief Steve Mazzie.
He is the bottom line. He is indeed a decent man for all sea- sons open to all the people of this city and firmly committed to a police force that is kinder and gentler with the understanding that at times, force must be used to maintain the public peace.
He knows that force is not a license to kill – the records on file here prove the department has acted with sensitivity andwith force at the same time.
No one has been shot in the back or choked to death because of their color while fleeing from an Everett police officer.
That says it all.