Lakewood taxpayers will pay police official to work for West Slope city

LAKEWOOD – This city’s taxpayers are footing the bill for Grand Junction while that West Slope city shops for a new police chief to replace current chief Bill Gardner, who is resigning.

The two cities announced earlier this week that, under terms of a “cooperative agreement”, Lakewood Police Division Chief will serve as Grand Junction’s interim police chief until that city completes a nationwide search for Gardner’s replacement. But only Grand Junction residents were told of the financial arrangements.

Coordinated releases were compiled by Lakewood and Grand Junction public information officers, but only the copy released by Grand Junction contains mention of the terms of Camper’s pay.

“The City of Grand Junction will reimburse Camper for housing and business vehicle

expenses during his interim tenure while the City of Lakewood will continue to pay his salary,” according to Grand Junction’s press release.

Camper’s salary is $113,880  a year, and a Grand Junction spokeswoman said Thursday that the search for a replacement for Gardner is expected to continue into early next year.

That could cost Lakewood citizens $50,000 or more plus the cost of Camper’s benefits package.

Mayor Bob Murphy distanced himself from the decision to send Camper to Grand Junction, but gave it his backing.

“The decision to loan Chief Camper is a man-power deployment decision and under the purview of the city manager, not the City Council,” said Mayor Bob Murphy.

The City Hall administrators who arranged the agreement apparently failed to tell at least some City Council members about the deal.

“My main concern is that we are lending one of our best cops to another jurisdiction. They are benefiting from what we produced in Lakewood” at the expense of Lakewood taxpayers, said Councilman Adam Paul.

Paul said early Thursday he is awaiting further word from City Hall about the terms of the agreement.

“I need to know how all of this would work,” Paul said. “It all comes down to our taxpayers. I don’t know how they would feel about the fact that this is going to go on our dime.”

Paul said he also is concerned about the potential loss of Camper, who he called one of the LPD’s most effective and popular leaders.

“My other concern is: What if we fund this until January and they offer him the job and he takes it? We’ll lose one of our best,” Paul said.

Camper told the Grand Junction Sentinel he currently has no plans to apply for the permanent position.

The benefit to Grand Junction is obvious, they get a highly qualified officer at little cost. For a city that, like many in Colorado, is facing budget problems, the deal is a welcome windfall. Gardner’s resignation is effective Sept. 4, but he will stay on the city payroll

for two months, said Grand Junction spokeswoman Sam Rainguet. Gardner makes about $10, 300 a month.

“Under an agreement with the City Manager, he will remain on the payroll until December 4.  During that time he may be involved in the development of the recruitment process as well as transition planning for the next Police Chief,”  Rainguet said. 

The benefit to Lakewood?

Intergovernmental cooperation and training, Murphy said.

Camper learns the ropes of being a police chief and Lakewood officers will fill in for Camper – providing them with training in one of the LPD’s top jobs, Murphy said.

The mayor said paying Camper to lead another city’s police department for six months is much the same as fire departments combining forces to combat fires in each other’s jurisdiction or Golden sending a wood-chipper to help clear storm debris.

“This is what communities do. We don’t send them an invoice for helping each other out,” Murphy said.

City Councilwoman Diana Allen, who is running for re-election in Ward 5, also supports the decision for Lakewood to pay Camper during his tenure in Grand Junction.

“In my experience, it is not unusual,” said Allen. “This is an opportunity for professional development for Chief Camper. … I think it’s worth it.”

 Ward 3 Councilwoman Sue King, who also is seeking re-election, did not respond to requests for comment.

Camper heads Lakewood’s Patrol Division. He joined Lakewood’s police team in 1981 and served as a patrol officer, public information officer, crime-prevention agent and as a detective in the Crimes Against Children unit.

Camper, 50, also served as a supervising sergeant in the Internal Affairs and Theft Investigation units. After a promotion to Commander in 1999, he directed the LPD Communications Center and was a Watch Commander.

In 2004, Camper was promoted to Division Chief, leading first the Support Services Division and then the Patrol Division. He has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration and graduated from the Senior Management Institute for Police.