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City hires interim public works director BY REVIEW STAFF
Bainbridge Island has hired an interim public works director to take over in the absence of Lance Newkirk. John Cunningham stepped into the interim position on June 3. He boasts more than 35 years experience and is a registered professional civil engineer. Cunningham was recently the public works director for the city of Sammamish from 2006 through 2010. Since his retirement from Sammamish in east King County, he has served in interim positions on a contract basis for cities such as Olympia and DuPont.
detours expected for Sportsman club road work Sportsman Club Road is slated for considerable construction next week. The city of Bainbridge Island has hired Lakeside Industries to construct shoulder improvements along the west side of Sportsman Club Road from June 17-21. Construction is expected to occur between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Sportsman Club Road will be converted into a single-lane of traffic heading north.
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many more such conversations as he forms his vision for the department. He said he won’t have all the answers on the police department’s future direction after he walks in the door. Hamner recalled that a listen-and-learn-first approach was one he laid out during the interview process for the job, and it was something he shared with the Bainbridge officers he met during his earlier visit. “When I went through the meet-and-greet with all the officers, they said, ‘What’s your vision for the police department?’” He answered the question with a question. “Do you really want me to have one right now?” “I said, I want to hear from you; I want to hear from the community. And so I told them, ‘You don’t want me to have a vision right now,’” Hamner recalled. “They all looked at me and said, ‘You’re right.’” Developing that vision will take time. “My idea is to meet with the department, all of the officers, and get what they want to expect out of a chief, and get to know them. I’ve got to have a relationship with the officers and the community,” Hamner said. Still, Hamner said he is aware of the issues that have been front-and-center with the department, and the recent discord in the department. While he has heard from some residents who think highly of the department and its officers,
he’s also heard criticism that stems from the fatal police shooting of a Bainbridge Island man in 2010. “When serious things happen, there are always going to be feelings. “Those are permanent actions,” he added. “It’s not like I scratch your car and I can paint it. “It’s hard to erase those memories. And officers aren’t perfect,” he said. The department has to learn from its mistakes, he said, noting he was encouraged to hear that the shooting had prompted changes in the department. Hamner said he hoped to build a relationship of trust between police and the community. “First of all, you have to be a good listener and you have to be emphatic and understanding. And having been involved in communities that had a great distrust of the police and how I overcame those barriers, I think those are similar to the same process that you would use in Bainbridge,” he said. Those things include increasing the level of professionalism, more training for officers, maintaining high expectations of officers, plus good leadership. “I think a good leader will steer the ship in the right direction,” Hamner said. “I only want to dwell on the past if it helps us learn for the future.” Another priority for the new island chief is to review the recent analysis of the department that was completed by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs through its Loaned Executive
know if they want to hear Management Assistance dad come home and tell Program. mom about another story. That report, released in I think that’s why I’m so March, was highly critical excited to make the change. of the lack of administraI feel like there’s a much tive oversight within the more positive note to focus Bainbridge police department and noted weak leader- on,” he said. “I want to focus on ship at the lieutenant level. some other The assessthings. I think ment said Bainbridge is lieutenants “i’ve got to have a going to give helped creme that opporate a climate relationship with tunity.” of a lack of the officers and One thought discipline the community.” kept lingerwithin the matthew hamner ing during department, chief of Police his departure and added from the that line offiIndianapolis cers also had Metropolitan Police a poor view of their superviDepartment, he said. sors. Hamner said he had been The city’s new chief looking for a change and had comes from Indianapolis, been considering a move to Ind., where he was a lieuthe West. It’s where his wife tenant in the Indianapolis is from; she grew up in Utah. Metropolitan Police “It was time to move on; I Department. was ready to go. I was ready Hamner, who worked for a new challenge,” he said. for that big city department Hamner said he was since 1990, said turning in impressed by the beauty of his badge and retiring was a Bainbridge Island, the low strange experience. crime rate, and the involve“I didn’t expect to turn that in at the age of 47,” he ment of islanders in their said. community. He said he would miss the “Every article I would community and the people read would talk about the he worked alongside. Other community involvement, and things, not so much. how concerned the citizens “What I won’t miss is were about the state of their going to scenes of violent community,” he said. “What crimes that often,” he said. better place to raise children The Indianapolis area, and to be able to continue Hamner noted, typically has my law enforcement career more than a hundred murthan in a city that has citizens so involved and so ders each year. Last year, concerned. That was very there were approximately attractive.” 110 homicides. Hamner comes from a “It’s been a great career family with a history of pubbut it’s been a lot of violic service. lence,” he said. His father spent almost 20 “The older I get, I look years in the Air Force and at my younger kids, I don’t
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retired as a master sergeant. Hamner, who has six brothers and five sisters, has a brother who is an elected judge. He also has an older brother who is an Army colonel stationed in Japan, and another brother who is still an officer with Hamner’s old department in Indianapolis. Another brother serves in the Air Force in Ohio. Another brother, Hamner recalled, was a police officer for 10 years in Salt Lake City; he died from leukemia, a result of an illness that stemmed from his service in Desert Storm and one that also claimed the life of a daughter. The new chief has a large family of his own: seven children; three boys, four girls. With one daughter recently graduated from high school in May, three of his children will be in college by August, and four have moved to Bainbridge. The couple has sold their house in Indiana, a state where Hamner has lived since the second grade. Hamner said the change was a big step, personally, and he acknowledged it was a sizable step for the city of Bainbridge Island as well. “I’m very humbled and very honored,” he said. “In my opinion, it’s probably one of the most, if not the most, important choice a city will make, and can have long-lasting effects, both good and bad.” Hamner will take his oath of office for the Bainbridge department at a swearing-in ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 20 at Bainbridge Island City Hall. A reception will immediately follow the swearing-in.
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A white front light and a red rear reflector are required by law for bicycles used at night (RCW 46.61.780). Cyclists who violate traffic laws may be ticketed (RCW 46.61.750).