Leonard Ups Ante In Water Bureau Flap

Commissioner Randy Leonard recently announced plans to arm the 19-member Water Bureau Security force.

Although Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman and Police Chief Rosie Sizer panned the idea, Leonard has said he'd like to move forward.

Leonard is now bringing in a trusted ally with strong law enforcement credentials into the Water Bureau. WW has learned that the commissioner has hired former Portland Police Commander Bill Sinnott to head the Water Bureau Security force. Before retiring from PPB in 2006, Sinnott ran the Traffic Divison.

More recently, Sinnott has played a management role in two initiatives closely associated with Leonard: the Service Coordination Team, which targets repeat offenders in Old Town and the Housing Interdiction Team, which targets dangerous properties.

Ty Kovatch, Leonard's chief of staff, says Sinnott will take over his new duties in the next week or so.

photo courtesy of BikePortland