Irvine Must Get Back to Work

In recent months, the city of Irvine has been at the focal point of a number of important regional public policy debates. But in recent weeks, its usually deeply engaged City Council has been distracted by a soap opera.

Mayor Christina L. Shea, disturbed when local police arrested her daughter on drug possession charges, brought on much of the turmoil by her reaction to an unfortunate patch of family trouble. Her recent apology for criticism of the Police Department ought to be a beginning. It is up to her to lead her colleagues back to the business of the city and away from a personal grievance.

The mayor should have confined her initial response to the remedy available to any citizen whose child gets in trouble. She could have separated her official role, which includes overseeing the Police Department, from her concern as a mother. There is a way to handle such situations; it begins with getting legal and other assistance, and does not include mixing in official functions.

In leaving an ill-considered series of voice mails for Councilman Dave Christensen, she brought a colleague on the public board into a conflicted situation. Christensen, both a friend and colleague, said he was torn by hearing potentially damaging information about the Police Department and felt compelled to make the information public. Further complicating the situation was an accusation by Shea that Councilman Larry Agran leaked the story to the press, which brought a sharp response of denial from Agran.

Christensen, while put on the spot by the voice mails, as an alternative well might have discussed the matter first with Shea, to make clear to her that she was raising serious issues that he would have to make public.

If there was an accusation of police misconduct, it should have been made formally with an appropriate opportunity for the department to respond. By asking her to step back and consider these options, Christensen could have given her the opportunity to reflect on her statements and either to seek an official redress or withdraw the statements left on voice mail. The focus could have been put on whether there was sufficient question about police conduct to warrant an official investigation.

Most citizens are looking to their elected officials to conduct public business and not bring in personal concerns, especially if it might appear they are using their clout to address personal matters. Any parent hopes that he or she will not have to deal with the anguish that the mayor has gone through. But now the council must put this incident behind it, clear up any antagonism, and move on.