CROKEN ACCUSES MAYOR OF IMPROPER USE OF POLICE

Davenport, October 22…. In a news release issued today, Davenport mayoral candidate and Iowa State Representative Ken Croken accused the incumbent mayor of misusing the Davenport Police Chief as his personal “enforcer.”  Croken’s allegation stems from an incident at a city council public meeting on Wednesday (10/18).  During the public comment portion of the meeting, Dr. D. Ezra Sidron was explaining the inability to completely erase computerized records due to the lingering amount of trace metadata.  During his comments Sidron made reference to the city’s “ghost posting” investigation of 2012.   

According to contemporaneous media reports, the “ghost posting” scandal resulted from the leak  of confidential city information to a local news organization.  Investigators eventually traced the source to a Davenport School District work computer assigned to the current mayor.  Moreover, investigators later learned that school district technicians had “wiped” the computer’s hard drive.  Once Sidron, who holds a doctorate in computer science from the University of Iowa, made this reference; he was interrupted by the mayor who then ordered the police chief to remove Sidron from council chambers in order to silence him,” Croken stated.

Croken said: “This misuse of police resources in defense of political ambitions or personal embarrassment reflects shamefully on the city and further erodes citizen confidence in the integrity of local government.  Moreover, it is a further waste of tax dollars to use the police chief as a sergeant-at-arms at a city council meeting.  Surely, there are more consequential public safety issues for the chief to address,” Croken said.  Labelling the October 18 incident a serious setback in the already deteriorating relationship between city and citizen,” Croken added that “public participation in city government has grown steadily more contentious since the 324 Main Street catastrophe.”    

Croken reports that citizen input has been restricted dramatically and the routine broadcast schedule of public comment  has been interrupted.  “Speakers are constantly interrupted and threatened with expulsion,” Croken said.  “And recently a stanchion has been added to the council chambers to create a physical barrier between the council and the citizens.  Now there’s even a paper sign taped to the front door of city hall prohibiting people from carrying larger bags into council chambers.  All of these actions help create an even more toxic and adversarial environment.”  Croken concluded by saying, “Perhaps we should simply listen to Davenport taxpayers who attend city council meetings, rather than just “time” them to ensure they don’t speak more than five minutes.”