This letter is following up on a recent letter to the editor and subsequent reporting.
Winlock Mayor Brandon Svenson claimed in the referenced Chronicle reporting that he left Morton Police Department for personal reasons in December but it is documented in numerous areas that he was separated on Jan. 1 — the day after being caught in his most recent driving incident. A small detail to some, but an important detail nonetheless. I am disappointed The Chronicle has yet to follow up or correct this misstatement despite being made aware of it immediately after printing it.
Moving on. After another check in with the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) regarding Mr. Svenson, they were able to provide me additional notice of hire and notice of separation forms from both Toledo as well as Morton. These forms only raised further questions.
Toledo first omitted a background check date on their form 1270 filed in January 2022, then filed a second form 1903, notice of hire, dated June 14, 2022, where Chief Patrick filled out that form correctly and hopefully truthfully. Toledo's notice of separation is dated July 5, 2022, and signed by Toledo Mayor Steve Dobosh. Toledo listed the reason for separation as, “Police chief left department; so we are unable to keep our reserve officers at this time.” However, in his letter dated Jan. 11, 2023, Dobosh stated Svenson was “eliminated as a candidate during the criminal background portion of the process.” If this was the case instead, why was it not disclosed on the notice of separation in July? Surely the CJTC would want that information.
Morton’s notice of hire and notice of separation forms were only recently completed — both dated Jan. 23, 2023, and signed by Chief Roger Morningstar. The CJTC was unable to find any record of them receiving notice of Svenson’s hire in Morton prior to these forms being sent after the fact mere weeks ago. Morton’s notice of hire lists a hire date of Aug. 1, 2022, and their notice of separation lists a separation date of Jan. 1, 2023. During that brief time patrolling with Morningstar, Mr. Svenson cited a juvenile for reckless driving of all things, despite his own history of driving incidents. Regardless, it is deeply concerning that the CJTC only received required forms months after Mayor Svenson was hired by Morton, weeks after he was already separated under concerning circumstances, only after Mayor Dobosh’s letter to the CJTC trying to indemnify Toledo, and everyone involved only jumped into action because Mayor Svenson had another driving incident.
These notification forms are required by code to be filed with the CJTC in a timely manner for a specific reason and people slipping through the cracks, or perhaps it's more accurate to say being slipped through the cracks, should simply not happen as it did with Mr. Svenson, a volatile person who is well known for bullying and harassing nearly everyone in his orbit beginning with his Mayoral predecessor and myself for years now.
This was egregiously neglectful on multiple levels. Roger Morningstar should resign.
Kyle Wheeler
Toledo
