Police union wins, City Manager resigns – News – Op/Ed

Mesquite City Manager Aaron Baker submitted his resignation effective immediately on Wednesday afternoon, May 12.

Baker was unavailable for comments.

While some may see it as unexpected, Baker had been the center of a vicious public attack at the last several council meeting from members of the Mesquite Police Officers Association union with little support from Mayor Al Litman and four of the five council members.

Who would blame Baker? Who knew that doing the right thing would lead to threats, intimidation and outright revolt?

Apparently MPOA president and police officer Larry Stewart, MPOA member Wyatt Oliver – aka the Mayor’s personal videographer and point man, MPD Captain and MPOA operative Quinn Averett, and MPD Police Chief and MPOA operative MaQuade Chesley all believe that threats, intimidation and revolt are the way to properly manage elected officials and your city.

Please don’t bother me with the worn out line that any criticism of police union members throwing their power and influence around is the same as criticizing police officers who do a great job everyday protecting you and me.

If you can’t see the difference between the two then just simply stop reading.

I repeat the same line I said nine months ago – political election endorsements are expensive. Now you get to pay the piper. Get your wallet out and start counting – oh, sorry, you can’t count that high.

To paraphrase a well-known politician, if you get on the wrong side of the police union in this town, they have six ways from Sunday to take care of that.