PERRY TRUSTEES BY THEIR LAX HIRING PROCEDURES CAUSE PERRY RESIDENTS EMBARRASSMENT?

UPDATE: JULY 2, 2009 COMMENT BY MARY

The more I sniff this story, the more I get an aroma of a 'set up'. I'm not willing to let Escola off scott free. He still has a free will.

However, when we women set our minds to it, we can be very seductive, very enticing, very alluring. For a weak man, that can be likened to the scorpion kingdom, where, after mating, the female bites and kills the male. She's through with him, no longer needs him. She, the female and wiser of the two, got what she wanted; a few seconds of titillating pleasure. You guys are good for that.

Although not the brightest bulb in the pack, these guys never are, I think the chief would have had the good sense to turn the video camera off if he intended to get amorous with his passenger. So, could the female, and slickest of this duo have turned the camera back on, unbeknownst to a guy caught up in the moment of sexual arousement, or have I just been watching too much Lifetime?

Sorry guys, but we are smarter than you. More than one of you have been caught in a web we weaved for you. Most insects in the world of our buggy little friends know how to avoid that web that would mean their demise if they got caught in it. Too bad, you guys can't spot these webs when they are being woven for you. Maybe you should take the time to talk to an insect today. Better yet... just behave yourselves.

UPDATE: Video link to the Escola/England dalliance.

ORIGINAL STORY

The Stark County Political Report had been hearing from a number of sources that the now former Perry police chief Tim Escola is perceived to be by some who know him as being a "ladies man."

This assessment first came up when the SCPR was asking around as to who be a likely candidate to succeed outgoing Canton safety director Tom Nesbitt. Escola's name came up as a possible candidate but the common conclusion is that because of Escola brought personal baggage that would not make him a good fit for the already besieged Healy administration.

So why didn't Perry trustees pick up on talk around town about Escola and deal with it directly and forthrightly before hiring him as chief?

When things like this happen, it is often likely that the person being considered has the necessary "political connections" to get a pass on rigorous vetting.

Escola appears to be a prime example of "politics trumps good scrutiny."

Oh yes, Escola has impressive "past" credentials. But does this mean that Perry had no obligation to its citizenry to do a "current" check before hiring?

Trustee Craig Chessler must sense that he and his fellow trustees are open to strong criticism. Consider this quote from today's Massillon Independent story Cruiser catches Perry chief in alleged sex act:

“I’m not saying there wasn’t any wrongdoing at all. I’m saying the chief has submitted his letter of resignation, his retirement and we have accepted it. So the need to investigate as far as departmental violations as they relate to the chief is moot.”

Well, there may be no further need to investigate the chief, but there is a need to find out where the "hole" was in the Perry hiring process that allowed Escola to slip through in the light of Escola's perceived difficulties of properly handling relationships with women.

More and more women are becoming members of safety forces. It is critical that police department leadership (which is totally male staffed) throughout the county's police agencies have proper human resource training on appropriate and inappropriate relationship in the context of employment.

It is obvious that the Perry trustees failed the citizens of Perry Township on this count in hiring Escola.

Now the community stands embarrassed.

But Trustee Chessler, the president of the Board of Trustees, is in no mood to apologize to the Perry public for the deficient hiring process.

Perhaps there is no need to investigate Escola and England.

But the Perry trustees should bring in an outside entity to analyze the township's evaluative processes in determining new hires. And this should be done before Perry hires a new chief.