Special Board of Aldermen 09-16-2021 Page 7
Ken Siegel
... knew what was going on. So that is false. I’m sorry that that mythology is being propagated. That’s all |
have to say. I’m sorry | don’t live here anymore and that affects people’s judgements about whether things
are true or false but nothing I’ve said isn’t true and so don’t shoot the messenger. Thank you.
President Wilshire
Next person who would like to speak in opposition and then I'll switch back.
Victoria Chesterly
My name is Victoria Chesterly. | live at 15 Lutheran Drive. My Dad was a Police Commissioner in Nashua
for 13 years. Unfortunately he’s no longer with us. | would like to address some of the arguments that
have been put forward. We need local control, transparency, diversity. Love the buzz words. Yes, those
are all great things but keeping local politics out of the Nashua Police Department doesn’t mean giving up
local control. Our Commissioners all live in Nashua. That’s local. Transparency is good too. A lot of
information is already available. I’m not sure what transparency people are talking about. Diversity on the
Commission would be ideal but that would require more people of diverse backgrounds to have the
necessary qualifications plus the interest in serving. Society has come a long way in giving people of
diverse backgrounds the opportunity to acquire the necessary qualifications but those individuals have to
express an interest.
One woman has served on the Commission but how many have applied? We don’t know. Adding seats to
the Commission could open up diversity which would be great but that doesn’t mean you have to throw out
the whole process of appointing Commissioners.
The argument of all the other towns are doing it — this sounds like all the other kids are doing it why can’t I?
This argument doesn’t get teenagers anywhere and it certainly should never be the reason for changing
something that already works well. It makes no sense to change the way we do things just because other
cities and towns do things differently. Nashua is not the same as other cities and towns. We’re located
right on the border and not far from Lowell and Lawrence. People can get into Nashua and get out really
fast. We need the best police department we can possibly have to keep the crime rate down and our
citizens protected. | read this one in something recently.
Having the Governor and Executive Council appoint the Police Commissioners is like having the Chinese
government appoint the Mayor of Shanghai. Really? Come on. That's...
Alderman O’Brien
Thirty seconds.
Victoria Chesterly
...a false equivalency. It makes no sense. The situations are not equal. The Commission works well now.
I’d like to see it stay working well.
President Wilshire
I’m going to go back to testimony in favor.
TESTIMONY IN FAVOR
