Fate of police chief in hands of West Melbourne Council

It's decision day for the Chief of Police in West Melbourne.

Tuesday night the City Council will decide whether or not to fire him.

Chief Brian Lock is accused of covering for a commander who admitted to stealing drugs from an evidence room.

The chief's critics have his poor performance reviews as new ammunition going into the meeting.  Five council members gave Lock an overall rating of two or less. The question is, will that turn into five votes to get rid of the chief and end the ordeal?

Lock may have managed to fend off accusations he covered up a drug theft by one of his commanders, Charles Schrum, who admitted to stealing prescription drugs from the evidence room, but with his latest performance appraisal his days may now be numbered.

Council member Michael Hazlett plans to force his colleague's hands.

"I don't see how they can now publicly sit up there and protect the chief any longer,' said Hazlett.           

Three council members rated the chief’s overall performance as "unacceptable," while two others, and the city manager, said the Lock "needed improvement.”  Some said the loss of trust was beyond repair.  Council member John Tice wrote, "I don't see any solution outside of departure of the chief."           

Candy Graves says the chief was just protecting one of his employees under state and federal laws, and shouldn't be given a poor review this year for something that took place in 2009.

"There is a vendetta there.  There is a vendetta.  You have to understand that in the 31 years he has been with the police department this is the first year he has ever received a damning evaluation," said Graves.

Two council members gave the chief an almost perfect score on his review.  Neither of those council members made a mention of the drug theft from inside the police department.