Saturday, February 2, 2008

Mike Olson is out

Marshall Public Safety Chief Mike Olson will not be returning to the City of Marshall staff, according to Marshall City Manager Chris Olson. Olson told the Chronicle this week that while Mike Olson's status currently has no description, the city will be seeking a new public safety director. Meanwhile, with the deputy chief position also vacant, Det./Sgt. Scott McDonald is filling a leadership position, along with Sgts. Josh Lankerd and Tim Bryant. Neither Mike Olson nor city council members will comment on the reason for the chief's departure but more information on his status could be forthcoming at Monday night's council meeting depending on the outcome of "a meeting" he is having today, Chris Olson said Friday. For an in depth story on this issue, see today's Marshall Chronicle, on news stands now.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is 12:30 Saturday afternoon and I still have not been to my front porch. I shudder to think what "in-depth" reporting is out there.

navyguy1959 said...

I have resided in Calhoun County for most of my life and never could understand the mystery and secrecy of Marshall and its inner politic.
The city has been in crisis for years and it was magnified last week with our deputy chief going to Coldwater and now a missing police chief.
Deputy Chief Pherson was the most educated qualified officer in the Marshall Police Department, and he moved on. It is a loss to the city and an embarrassment to see the name of a Sgt. Tim Bryant, and others leading the department. He should have been fired years ago and you all know the reasons why. It is because no one is held responsible.
In my opinion for 30 years the city has never had any real authority and justice is a disgrace. The city manager is a baboon, the trustees are there for show, and we fight over power lines in an alley. If you live on one side of Michigan Avenue you are in. If you are on the other side you are out. God forbid if you live in a mobile home.
The Mary Lands case makes it perfectly clear. Where were all these people when Mary disappeared? Why did the then deputy chief just laugh about her disappearance and claim she ran off with some guy? Why did it take months for police to see this was a case of foul play? Chris Pratt has gone to prison for what he did to his girl friend. It was on the news what he did to a former wife. We all know he killed Mary Lands. And he will get away with it.
I hope the Cook woman can home to her parents. Mary never will and it is because of the elitist double standard in Marshall. We are all a part of it because we won’t stand up together and fight it.
I can’t sign my name to this because I will suffer from the ramifications. I’m not proud of it but we all know why we are afraid. It is because of crooked political hacks, bad cops, drugs, sex, alcohol, promiscuity, hate and fear. Marshall is supposed to be this quaint historic community that is such a great place to live. Marshall is the joke of southwestern Michigan and we need to make it right. I hope it happens in the time I have left on this earth.

Anonymous said...

How about bringing Ronald Ivey back to Marshall? He is a professional, an educator, and well respected. Maybe he can restore order to a city in chaos?
We need to clean up a dirty house.

Anonymous said...

After reading the article regarding Chief Olson, one can only wonder what is really going on. It is the duty of the city to let citizens know what is going on and why. We pay the salaries, yet "they" don't feel accountable to the taxpayers. All of the press has been stonewalled in their efforts to get to the bottom of the issue. It is time to inform the citizens of Marshall just what is going on.

Anonymous said...

I suspect that we will all be informed at some point. The current council and administration have been very open about other situations and I think they will do that regarding this as well.

There may be reasons for the reluctance to talk at this time. I'm sure if we are a bit patient we will have the story. The newspapers are not going to give up on this (as they shouldn't).

Anonymous said...

There has been very little openness or honesty by the past several boards as a whole. When someone is honest, they are attacked and removed or kept out of office here.

The reluctance to talk is either a lack of understanding of the issue (bad, bad, bad) or fear (bad, bad, bad.) Openness and honesty are some things we need and are not getting.

Allowing this incident to drag out is damaging our community even more and one of our elected leaders should grab ahold of this situation and fix it. That is what they were elected to do and that is what they are neglecting.

Anonymous said...

NavyGuy... Iagree with MOST of what you say. The Mary Lands case is sad but, the problem with the case is ONE thing and ONE thing only... Only TWO people were at the scene of the crime, one is missing. If Pratt doesn't talk and the police can't find evidence, under the LAW how can any police dept charge him with anything?

Why don't you become a police officer and arrest Pratt, or get that private eye idiot to arrest him.... you can't.

Only two people were at the apartment, one is missing. Unless you get the liberals to allow Chinese water torcher, we may NEVER know what went on in that apartment .

One of the TWO people need to provide some evidence. One is missing and one is so stone cold he won't admit what he did...

The other thing you can do is change the LAW and allow people to be arrested if you THINK they did a crime...

I do agree, it is total Marshall COVER-UP. These self appointed self important people that we PAY big tax $$$$$ to be liar's to us. The city manager is their boy. There is a very small click that runs this city. The people need to get involved and show these people where I-94 is located and draw them a map on how to GET OUT OF TOWN. Until we stand up, and the majority gets busy, this small click will keep going...

Here's your mission...
1) make Pratt talk
2) draw maps for the small click on how to leave the city. Load them in Chris Olson's can and he can take them to Monroe with him...

Anonymous said...

Call me cynical, but I believe that Olsen was shown the door becasue he would not be a puppet or yes man for the political "leaders" in Marshall.

Anonymous said...

Chris Olson is implying a sex for position story involving the Chief of Police, at the same time this skunk is going behind closed doors to eliminate the city police department and replace them with county deputy's, ever notice how well this has worked in other towns in the County? The Chief "Mike Olson" told the Skunk "Chis Olson" (no relation) to stick it and stood up for his officers, this could not be tolerated and therefore the skunk (Chris Olson) had to eliminate the Chief. The entire Police Department should picket immediately until the Chief is returned to his position and the Skunk is sent packing, what the Skunk is doing is no different than providing a service to advance his interests to the Council and the idiots who think it would be great to return Ivey to office should remember his abrupt departure and nearly immediate marriage to a current officer (Rebecca - who was promoted to Sergeant) just prior to his departure, this wasn't by chance and neither was what happened to Mike Olson, who gave 4 years of his life to cleaning up this department and established a new sense of worth within the Department. Go ahead idiots, do away with the Department and watch what happens when crime balloons. Good day, Good bye and to Mike Olson, this quaint city doesn't deserve your services, good luck to you in everything you do in life...and to the officers of the Marshall Police Department, continue what you are doing, there are many in management who could benefit from your integrity and commitment to the position they hold. God Bless the Council, and thank God for short terms in office.