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2/7/14 – Taking immediate action as Banning’s newly appointed interim Police Chief,  Alex Diaz has re-opened the lobby of the Banning Police Department to the public : the new lobby hours will be 8 AM to 5 PM , Monday thru Thursday.

Ever since the new $15 million Police station opened exactly 4 years ago, former Police Chief Purvis ordered the doors to remain locked , except for 3 hours every Thursday.

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MAKING IT HAPPEN ON BUDGET –  WITH THE HELP OF VOLUNTEERS

According to Diaz, opening the police station from a mere 3 to now 36 hours per week (a 12-fold increase !) will not incur any additional expenses. No additional personnel will be hired, and no additional overtime be necessary.

Diaz says the change was made possible without additional funding, strictly by changing schedules and with the support of Banning’s Police volunteers, headed by Bill Dickson.

Dickson said he was delighted to hear the news and has assured the new Chief of his support in accomplishing the task.

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FORMER CHIEF PURVIS’ EXCUSE FOR PERMA-LOCKDOWN : BUDGET CONSTRAINTS

Ever since the new 15 million dollar Police station opened 4 years ago, former Chief Purvis cited budget constraints as the reason for only opening to the public 3 hours per week.

As we now can see, this was obviously not the real reason –  Purvis closed the station to the public – because he could. Apparently this was nothing more than his way of saying “thank you” to the people of Banning, who just spent $ 15 million on his ultra- plush Taj Mahal.

There is also speculation that Purvis, who maintains very close ties to Sheriff Sniff, may have closed the station to frustrate the citizens of Banning, in order to ultimately be able to hand over the Banning Police Department to the Sheriff.  If this was ever the plan, unfortunately for Purvis and Sniff, but fortunately for Banning, it did not work out.

The good news is : Banning just got a new Chief with a much more community friendly approach. The citizens of Banning will now be able to enter their Police Station 4 days a week.

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CONCLUSION

Chief Diaz is off to a great start ; he has proven that if there is a will, there is a way.

There is every indication that Alex Diaz, Banning’s first Hispanic Police Chief, will be a Chief of the People, rather than a Chief of the “socialites”, like his predecessor.  Banning citizens rejoice !

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