VENICE POLICE CHIEF JULIE WILLIAMS IS IN HOT WATER AGAIN, THIS TIME FOR REPORTEDLY HIRING A MICHIGAN-BASED LAW ENFORCEMENT TESTING COMPANY FOR CONTRACT WORK IN VENICE WHILE SERVING AS A CONSULTANT TO THE FIRM. ACCORDING TO THE HERALD-TRIBUNE, WILLIAMS AGREEMENT WITH EMPCO MAY VIOLATE BOTH STATE AND CITY CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST LAWS. THE REPORT SAYS BOTH CURRENT CITY MANAGER ISSAC TURNER AND FORMER CITY MANAGER MARTY BLACK GAVE WILLIAMS WRITTEN PERMISSION TO DO CONSULTING WORK WITH EMPCO AFTER SHE WAS HIRED IN 2006, BUT THEY SAY THEY DID NOT REALIZE WILLIAMS HIRED THE COMPANY TO HANDLE TESTING FOR OFFICER PROMOTIONS. TURNER SAID THEY’RE INVESTIGATING THE ETHICS OF HOW WILLIAMS PRESENTED WHAT SHE HIRED THEM FOR, SAYING THAT SHE WOULD BE HELPING TO DEVELOP TESTING QUESTIONS FOR EMPCO. TURNER PUT WILLIAMS ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE SEPTEMBER 30TH FOR TALKING TO EMPLOYEES ABOUT HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM AS PART OF AN ANNUAL EVALUATION.
