LTE submission by Diane Suzuki

(This was not sent by CC4J but by Diane Suzuki as a community member.)

Retired Chief of Police Mike O'Brien was appointed to the Chico City Council on July 27,2021. Almost simultaneously DA Ramsey offered him the position as the Commander of BINTF- Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force which he accepted. The Chico Police Dept has been a funding member of BINTF for 26 years. With the City Council as the boss of the Chico Police Dept and Commander O'Brien's newly appointed position on the City Council this certainly appears as some kind of conflict of interest in which Councilor O'Brien must recuse himself for certain votes involving policing. As the former Ethics officer of CPD I expect he will. I am also concerned about the imbalance of half of Chico's annual budget going to the Chico Police Dept. when there are other vital needs in our community such as housing and Mental Health services. Diane Suzuki Chico, Ca.