Demanding Accountability

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Medford Mail Tribune & Judge
Tag-Team Outstanding Police Dept.

By Edward Snook
Investigative Reporter

Gold Hill, Oregon – Gold Hill Chief of Police Dean Muchow was appointed to his office by the Gold Hill City Council in December of 2004. Muchow, a third generation officer brought high qualities to Gold Hill along with many well known attributes. Muchow’s keen sense of honesty, dedication to fairness and dedication to upholding the law have recently been wrongfully attacked by Sanne Specht, a lap-dog reporter for the Medford Mail Tribune and Gold Hill Municipal Judge Don Leahan. Specht and Leahan, with the help of third parties have created a state of confusion, mistrust and false allegations, both publicly and within the usually peaceful government in Gold Hill.

Gold Hill Police Chief Dean Muchow

Acting on complaints from the public regarding motorists speeding in school zones and other populated areas the Gold Hill Police conducted traffic surveillance during the months of June, July, and August of 2005. These surveillances were conducted in response to not only many traffic complaints, but contacts made by officers through enforcement action as well. Typically, warnings exceeded citations by about 4-5 to 1.

The Gold Hill Chief of Police announced during a council meeting, enforcement would be increased with emphasis on Hwy 234 (a residential area with a sports park) and in the city's school zones. This announcement reportedly brought "good nods" from the city council.

During an August city council meeting Chief Muchow sent a few proposals for raising revenue to the city council. They covered raising the rates on vehicle impound fees, using monies from citations to finance the dept in part (as requested by a council member), supplies and the employment of a third officer. Other previous proposals were to surcharge the water meters, channel rental of city property to the police, and a tax levy. Reporter Specht and Judge Leahan would have the public believe this improper when nothing could be further from the truth. People either violate the law or they don’t. The council only took action with regard to the levy. All other proposals were not regarded or implemented.

A questionnaire is being formulated to see if the public accepts the idea of a levy. Currently, one officer is supported from the general fund and another through a levy. There are five reserve officers who act as free volunteers. The council has expressed the idea of having a third officer for better coverage. With a population which has recently grown from 1,000 to 1,115 and counting the foresight of the council and Chief Muchow should be commended, not condemned.

The Gold Hill Police were informed in early September there were traffic enforcement funds available to enforce speed zone compliance and safety belt compliance. The money had to be used up by October. Officers turned out and provided more coverage for the town and 81 citations were issued. In my phone interview with Judge Leahan, he informed me, “I didn’t see unreasonable tickets in front of me; they plead guilty.” The judge continued, “Since I’ve been there revenues have went up 200% and I believe we have about a 95% conviction rate. With comments like these one has to wonder a bit why there is any controversy in Gold Hill. A judge’s job is to simply apply the law in traffic court; it is not to question the amount of tickets written. Given the fact that Judge Leahan knows that portions of all citations go to fund police functions, it makes no sense to question the amount of tickets written as long as they are written in an ethical and honest manner.

Municipal Judge Donald Leahan held court in Gold Hill on the second Monday of October. On October 15th an article in the Mail Tribune entitled "Driver Beware" came out with quotes from Leahan stating the police/city was pursuing the increase in citations as a means of funding. As "evidence" Leahan used the disregarded proposal to fund a third officer through citations, in part (this proposal by Muchow was one he had been asked to provide the council). He announced he'd dismiss all citations if he saw 55 people in his courtroom because, he'd "smell a rat." It seems the only “rat” to be smelled would be reporter Sanne Specht, however Leahan used the excuse that his court “would not be used by the city or its police department to help resolve its funding crises through overaggressive ticketing.” Leahan has informed us that he believes in law enforcement, however he stated, “a person who has to attend traffic school on Monday night has been punished enough by missing Monday Night Football.” Again, the people who received tickets deserved them especially in light of the fairness exhibited by all members of the police department. Tickets were not issued for speeds barely over the limit, etc. Leahan reportedly reduced a “driving while revoked” ticket from $2,500 to $1,875 and greatly reduced the sentence of a person driving while suspended and without insurance.

Subsequent to the media blitz in Gold Hill Mayor Young contacted Judge Leahan and tried to arrange an informational meeting with Chief Muchow, a councilman, herself, and the judge. He refused. Leahan informed us that such a meeting would “reek of a deal.” Regarding the funding of a third officer through citations, Chief Muchow responded by stating, on the radio, that there is no provision or action by the city to do such a thing. A levy is the only consideration being discussed. A letter was also sent to the editor of the Medford Mail Tribune, but not published for approximately three weeks.

The following week the Tribune published an "editorial" re-stating this story and using the same disregarded proposal as supposed substantiation of the increase in citations.

Judge Leahan wrote a lengthy letter to Mayor Young and the city council on December 7. 2005. Leahan states, “It is apparent some members of the council feel my integrity and professionalism should be questioned. As a seated Municipal Court Judge I feel this is highly inappropriate. The reasons why a small minority of council members would support such an inquiry are suspect as to motive in light of recent unflattering publicity.” Let's be frank; Judge Leahan is the one who started the questioning. He was absolutely wrong and now that his charade has gone public he should quit whining and reap what he has sown.

Many citizens have applauded the police effort to slow traffic down in the residential and school zones. According to Muchow, “Many of the school zone citations were for over double the speed limit. It's a zone with many flashing yellow lights at its crosswalks.”

Citizens have written letters to the editor and sent copies to the city supporting the police effort and asking the council to get a new judge. They were critical of the Tribune's story. These letters were reportedly never published by the Tribune.

Cpl. Nunez, of the Gold Hill Police, wrote a letter to the editor which was printed. It stated the police in Gold Hill write citations that are both deserving and appropriate. He stated, “If anyone thinks otherwise, they should go to court and see for themselves and decide what the facts are.”

Court in November was worse. Judge Leahan prepared a written statement articulating it's not the legislative intent to write citations to make money; that the Chief has stated he's justifying the citations because he's been denied funding and sees this as a means to accomplish that end (not a quote but a paraphrase from the unaccepted proposal). That the city council is part of this "scheme" and that he'll decide what tickets are being written justifiably or not and treat them accordingly. The judge stated to certain individuals who were ticketed, "If you want a deal, you got one." (See November 15, 2005 Mail Tribune article) He also said he was elected. He was not. He was appointed by the council on his present term. The statements against Chief Muchow are totally unfounded, besides being false.

Reporter Sanne Specht from the Mail Tribune contacted the Gold Hill Police. She was advised there is no substantiation to the allegation money is being transferred from the general fund citation revenue back to the police or for a "third officer. She was asked to check it out for herself. She did not and persisted in writing the article of November 15th rather than investigate the issue and report the truth.

The US~Observer finds that a disregarded proposal has no relevance to traffic safety and is coincidental to the increase in traffic citations. The city council has not responded as a group as of this date and time. They should respond and Chief Muchow should continue doing a fine job. Judge Leahan should not only meet with the chief and council, he should apply the law and back the police when they do their jobs properly as they have. A clean and ethical police department is hard to come by these days. The Gold Hill Police Department is one such department and both Chief Muchow and his department should be commended.

Editors Note: Next edition we will cover Chief Muchow’s highly successful efforts in rebuilding his Department on a shoestring budget and our readership will also learn who is behind the trouble in Gold Hill and who wants to get rid of the police department. Gold Hill needs the police department they have according to many in the community such as school personnel, businesses and citizens in high traffic areas. The Observer will do its part in seeing that this happens, just as we will expose all the sources of this un-needed and un-warranted “sensation” created in part by Sanne Specht, writer for the Mail Tribune and her renegade judge buddy…

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