Schultz avoids subordinate evaluation

With his impending retirement, Albuquerque Police Dept
Chief Ray Schultz dodges a different kind of  bullet;
another subordinate evaluation, link.

He has suffered through one already, albeit a poorly executed survey done by the police officers union.  Survey results are skewed because only union members were allowed to participate, and have to be taken with a grain of salt.

That not withstanding, the survey indicated that a subordinate evaluation correctly done, would have similar and similarly disturbing results.

Why isn't subordinate evaluation part of every evaluation?
Why isn't subordinate evaluation a matter of course in government?

The cynic in me blames the situation on powerful people who would rather not be evaluated by their subordinates.  Powerful people who would rather be evaluated by other powerful people.  A privileged class who do not suffer evaluation by any number of the great unwashed.  It came to be called a  good ol' boys club.  Since the shattering of the glass ceiling, of course, it is the good ol' boys and a handful of good ol' gals, club.

The resistance to subordinate evaluation is difficult to articulate without the appearance of self service.  The straightest path to discrediting subordinate evaluation is to impugn the subordinate evaluators.  It is implied, they can't evaluate the conduct and competence of their superiors, fairly and professionally.  Yet, if you press the point, they have to admit they are talking about police officers and teachers, to mention just two.

Despite their inability to act fairly and professionally when they evaluate their chief, police officers are trusted with uniforms and badges and guns and the authority to police our community.

Despite their inability to act fairly and professionally when evaluating their principal, teachers are given classrooms full of our most precious resource and expected to prepare them for life.

Go figure.

The absence of subordinate evaluation is the deliberate decision of the politicians and public servants who don't want a record made, of their subordinates' impressions of their character and competence within their public service.

The proof of that is the absence of open and honest public discussion of subordinate evaluation.

APD Chief Ray Schultz

Chiefs of Police don't stand up
and answer questions about
their subordinate evaluation.

APS Supt Winston Brooks

Public School Superintendents
don't stand up and answer
questions about their own
subordinate evaluation.









They don't have to because,

Mayor Richard Berry

Mayors don't stand for
subordinate evaluation.

And because,









School Board Members don't
stand for subordinate evaluation.

So why should their chiefs
and their superintendents?




photos Mark Bralley