Passenger Trains > Amtrak Police Chief finally quits

Amtrak Police Chief Polly Hanson, appointed by Joe Boardman in
late 2012 and under fire for months, has finally quit.

She has been under Federal and Inspector General investigation for
fraud, ethics and conflict of interest. Her boyfriend allegedly got an
Amtrak security contract through selection by her department, without
proper vetting and through questionable award processes, and during
the investigation she at first lied and said she didn't know him,
when they have co-owned a condo and been cohabiting for years; and
she allegedly assisted in preparing the contract. Her imminent
departure has been rumored since July/August but she hung on.
Finally she is gone, her resignation reportedly forced by the
disapproval of Wick Moorman since he took over as Amtrak CEO.

She has been off duty, on leave.

CLEAN SWEEP: Her Chief's page on the Amtrak Police website has
gone "404 Not Found."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/16 23:09 by GenePoon.

Keep the pressure up, Wick! Clean this place up-- "Good riddance to bad rubbish!!" Go, Wick, go!

And... Off topic... Go, Cubs, go!!!

She was an affirmative action appointee and never qualified for the assignment.  Glad she's gone and hopefully an experienced, honest candidate can provide leadership to the post.

While there at it, get rid of affirmative action. Hire based on merit, not skin color or background. I thought that type of discrimination in this country was illegal. 

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> While there at it, get rid of affirmative action. Hire based on merit, not skin color or background.

Wrong -- Chief Hansen was not a miniority, so affirmative action was NOT a factor here.  She was a woman, obviously.

As of a few weeks ago, she was still the lead player in the Amtrak security video loop, played in many station waiting rooms.  I wonder if they have a replacement video cued up?

Affirmative action includes selecting "under represented" classes for a hiring position.  She is female, hence under represented in the high ranking chief assignment.  Select on merit, not the flavor of the month.

d500 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> She was an affirmative action appointee and never
> qualified for the assignment. 

Unless you were part of the hiring team you're only speculating on why she was hired.  And if you were part of the hiring team in would seem to be a major lapse of judgement to be discussing the process here.

Dave

Not part of the hiring team but have factual insight to the candidate and process. Wasn't qualified and her actions prove it. So the discussion is appropriate.

Chief Hanson served 27 years with the DC Metro police department, eventually rising to chief,  She was involved in the homeland security function of DC police department.  It's not like she was a cocktail waitress whom Joe Boardman decided would be a good chief of police.  On paper and experience she had the credentials, and being a woman undoubtedly was a plus in the mostly male Amtrak top management clique.

We wouldn't be having this conversation, and haven't had this conversation about the guys who ripped off Chicago and ended up with the equivalent of a parking ticket. Operating trades people have been punished much more severely for minor rules violations

d500 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not part of the hiring team but have factual
> insight to the candidate and process. Wasn't
> qualified and her actions prove it. So the
> discussion is appropriate.

But you have not clarified what you know exactly of her qualifications. Praytell what facutal information regarding the candidate and process you have that would indicate she was not qualified? The business about her actions etc. is a non sequitor as even you probably realize. It is not unusual for quite qualified people to do stupid things anyway. So yup, the discussion is appropriate but actual facts instead of veiled insinuations would be more productive.

Here's the press release from the time of her appointment. 

http://education.jhu.edu/Alumni-Friends/Polly-Hanson-Named-Amtrak-Chief-of-Police_11-19-12.pdf

 

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Chief Hanson served 27 years with the DC Metro
> police department, eventually rising to chief, 
> She was involved in the homeland security function
> of DC police department.  It's not like she was a
> cocktail waitress whom Joe Boardman decided would
> be a good chief of police.  On paper and
> experience she had the credentials, and being a
> woman undoubtedly was a plus in the mostly male
> Amtrak top management clique.
>
> We wouldn't be having this conversation, and
> haven't had this conversation about the guys who
> ripped off Chicago and ended up with the
> equivalent of a parking ticket. Operating trades
> people have been punished much more severely for
> minor rules violations

Having worked in CUS years ago I would be very interested in hearing the conversation of the guys who ripped off Chicago.

If you accept that qualified people can do stupid things, then the benchmark for qualified has been diluted, lowered and mediocrity is aceptable.  High standards do not allow flaws in judgment for self gain like she executed.  That is not just a "stupid thing" but a breach of ethics.  The character flaw demonstrated during her breach of trust proves her lack of integrity which is an undisputed top characteristic in any law enforcement officer.  This could have been a male making the error however it wasn't.  She failed no matter how good she looked on paper.

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Chief Hanson served 27 years with the DC Metro
> > police department, eventually rising to
> chief, 
> > She was involved in the homeland security
> function
> > of DC police department.  It's not like she was
> a
> > cocktail waitress whom Joe Boardman decided
> would
> > be a good chief of police.  On paper and
> > experience she had the credentials, and being a
> > woman undoubtedly was a plus in the mostly male
> > Amtrak top management clique.
> >
> > We wouldn't be having this conversation, and
> > haven't had this conversation about the guys
> who
> > ripped off Chicago and ended up with the
> > equivalent of a parking ticket. Operating
> trades
> > people have been punished much more severely
> for
> > minor rules violations
>
> Having worked in CUS years ago I would be very
> interested in hearing the conversation of the guys
> who ripped off Chicago.


We had a thread about a few months ago. Lots of discussion about it.

I'll look for the link later.

Posted from Android

d500 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you accept that qualified people can do stupid
> things, then the benchmark for qualified has been
> diluted, lowered and mediocrity is aceptable. 
> High standards do not allow flaws in judgment for
> self gain like she executed.  That is not just a
> "stupid thing" but a breach of ethics.  The
> character flaw demonstrated during her breach of
> trust proves her lack of integrity which is an
> undisputed top characteristic in any law
> enforcement officer.  This could have been a male
> making the error however it wasn't.  She failed
> no matter how good she looked on paper.

I don't disagree that she did not behave as she should have. However, your claim was that at the time she was hired she was not qualified. I was challenging you on that claim of yours and you have yet to convince us why you thought she was not qualified when she was hired. You made some apparntly sweeping statments which would potentially indidcate that your main problem with her was her sex. I am just looking for any indication that there was some reason other than that she is female and you claim this special knowledge about the process that applies, which would presumably disqualify any human being for being female. ;)

This is a discussion forum and not a "challenge".  It's also not a deposition or court of law so opinions can run free just like it does throughout trainorders.  My opinion with insight from direct law enforcement experience stands firm about her lack of qualifications.  Her failure verifies my insight that she wasn't qualified.  It's a smoking gun... done. 

d500 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is a discussion forum and not a
> "challenge".  It's also not a deposition or court
> of law so opinions can run free just like it does
> throughout trainorders.  My opinion with insight
> from direct law enforcement experience stands
> firm about her lack of qualifications.  Her
> failure verifies my insight that she wasn't
> qualified.  It's a smoking gun... done. 

I think you're trying to make a distinction between being qualified to do the job and having the qualifications to obtain the job. Speculation about the former can only come from the latter. Sometimes bad decisions are made.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak Police Chief Polly Hanson, appointed by Joe
> Boardman in
> late 2012 and under fire for months, has finally
> quit.
>
> She has been under Federal and Inspector General
> investigation for
> fraud, ethics and conflict of interest. Her
> boyfriend allegedly got an
> Amtrak security contract through selection by her
> department, without
> proper vetting and through questionable award
> processes, and during
> the investigation she at first lied and said she
> didn't know him,
> when they have co-owned a condo and been
> cohabiting for years; and
> she allegedly assisted in preparing the contract.
> Her imminent
> departure has been rumored since July/August but
> she hung on.
> Finally she is gone, her resignation reportedly
> forced by the
> disapproval of Wick Moorman since he took over as
> Amtrak CEO.
>
> She has been off duty, on leave.
>
> CLEAN SWEEP: Her Chief's page on the Amtrak Police
> website has
> gone "404 Not Found."

Good riddance to another dishonest Cop !!

KRK

---

 Just going off this picture that is posted above in the last response,   I'd say she isn't qualified.  What a horrible profile pic.  Who looks at that pic and says " yep I want that one for my profile pic whenever people look me up or see me on Amtrak's website!"
so the decision of her going with that picture alone tells me this lady has awful judgement.  
Not even joking