Commissioner Randy Leonard, widely expected to be named the next commissioner in charge of the police bureau by Mayor-Elect Sam Adams, has withdrawn himself from consideration, citing an "unfortunate dynamic"--his terse relationship with Police Chief Rosie Sizer, and the media "debate" over that relationship.

There's been no debate here at the Mercury. But the Oregonian's editorial board has been lobbying hard to keep Leonard out of the position, because they love Sizer and saw a Leonard appointment as a Sizer boot--she's said she cannot work with him.

Leonard removes his name from consideration for Police Commissioner

PORTLAND, OR - Commissioner Randy Leonard asked Mayor-elect Adams to remove his name from consideration for the assignment of Police Commissioner on Wednesday. In June, Commissioner Leonard was asked by Mayor-elect Adams to conduct an assessment of the Portland Police Bureau and make recommendations for improvement. That effort, in concert with the suggestion by Mayor-elect Adams that he was considering Commissioner Leonard as the potential Police Commissioner, prompted an unfavorable reaction from the Police Chief that attracted persistent media coverage over several months. This unfortunate dynamic is creating an unsettling environment for the Police Bureau and the Council that detracts from the pursuit of important issues facing the City.

"I continue to believe that I have a lot to offer the Portland Police Bureau," said Leonard, "But there is little value to citizens or to the Police Bureau in continuing a media debate over the false choice between a Police Chief and a City Commissioner."

Leonard plans to finalize and release the assessment of the Portland Police Bureau by November 5.

"In the Public Safety Assessment I conducted at the request of Mayor-elect Adams, I have prepared a roadmap for the next Commissioner-in-Charge of the Police Bureau," Leonard said, "I urge the next Commissioner of Police to be diligent in improving the hiring and training processes and the labor/management relationships in the Bureau, and I am hopeful that Chief Sizer will be an active and willing participant in making those important changes."

Leonard, of course, doesn't actually have a say in who Adams names--only the mayor has the power to assign or unassign bureaus. Mayors have handed less-than-desirable assignments to commissioners before. Personally, I think Leonard would be a good police commissioner (and Adams clearly has his hands full with priorities surrounding transportation and planning, which are a better fit for him than cops). But I doubt Adams will override Leonard's wishes. (I've got messages in to both Leonard and Adams to find out.)

Adams has already said this on his blog:

I am disappointed that City Commissioner Randy Leonard has removed himself from consideration to be appointed as Commissioner-in-Charge of the Portland Police Bureau. Randy would have made a great police commissioner.

To be clear, I asked Randy to consider the police commissioner appointment. He did not ask for it. I also asked him to take four months to provide an assessment of local public safety functions.

In so doing, I deeply regret that Commissioner Leonard has had to endure so much criticism over the last four months. He deserved better. As someone who has worked closely with Commissioner Leonard for many years, I know that much of the criticism that has been leveled of late is unfounded and unfair.

In the end, I might assign the Police Bureau to myself. But I am looking at assignment options based on the facts. Crime is at a 20-year low and our city faces some staggering challenges. City government will either focus its leadership to conquer them or they will pull us down. Here are the facts...

Read the rest here.