Ever Been Fired Without Cause?

Ever been blocked on Facebook or Twitter? Just terminated and told to go to hell? It's the same thing.
The front page headline in the Saturday, June 25, 2011, Times-Standard was: EPD Chief Nielsen fired after 4 years – EPD chief out after 4 years; Harpham named interim replacement.

When you read what Thadeus Greenson reports how and what happened, you've got to agree that what was done to Garr Nielsen was about as dirty as it gets. It was a personal insult, it sent a clear and concise message, exactly as it was designed to do. Let no one doubt in the City of Eureka who rules.

I suppose that works for the status-quo “good ol' boy network. Yes, there's a good ol' boy network, maybe even two of them. But even more in the sewer category is the fact that it was all done in secret. This case certainly makes it clear who runs the town of Eureka and that this person is NOT answerable to the citizens of Eureka. Nothing and I mean NOTHING ever changes in Eureka or Humboldt County.

Here's a link to another Times-Standard article that gives more background on this "personnel change" that affects the lives of everyone living in Eureka. Here's what Thatdeus Greenson wrote April 26, 2011 in his article: Four years later: Eureka police chief's tenure filled with change, tumult and community praise.

Four years later, officials say some old wounds have been healed and some old wrongs righted, but the ride has been anything but smooth. However, most say EPD is light-years ahead of where it was before Nielsen's arrival. [Emphasis added]

"Light-years ahead" sounds like a "crock-of-crap-snow-job" to me.

By the way, the problem with what happened is NOT with David Tyson. He's obviously doing exactly what everyone wants or he wouldn't still be the City Manager. The problem is with the City Manager type of city government. Based upon Garr Nielsen's public statements it's obvious who the REAL Chief of Police was - David Tyson. In the Report's observations, whether or not Garr Nielsen was either a "good" or a "bad" Chief of the Eureka police is not the issue. Obviously, neither the City Council or their City Manager had any justifiable "cause" for firing him. The irony of this whole mess is that Chief Nielsen got a dose of his own purgative medicine and he obviously didn't like it much.

Did Nielsen leave the legacy he had hoped for? Not when the City of Eureka was looking for and entertaining a Sheep Dog rather than a Shepherd.

--Joe