Why Kim Dine should run for Mayor
Extra Voices is The Frederick Extra's opinion page.
There are many reasons why former Frederick police chief Kim Dine should run for Frederick City Mayor, not the least of which would be to stop the seemingly endless stream of folks from asking me to talk him into running. Why me? I don’t have any power over him or any more influence than anyone else. Heck, I don’t even live in the city.
I think Kim Dine would make a good mayor though I must confess a bias. We both started our careers in the same police department, though at different times and with different degrees of success. Though I got to do quite a lot before leaving as a detective, Kim was much more successful, staying a great deal longer, advancing through the ranks and retiring as an assistant chief of police. We both have graduate degrees from the same university and our views on policing and leadership are in alignment. And, I just think he is a good guy.
As for the other announced candidates and potential candidates that have been discussed, I believe them to be good folks as well. Each have their own strengths and base of support. But many voters in the city seem to want someone else, a fresh face with a fresh perspective, to enter the race.
Dine would not be an entirely new face, having served as Frederick’s police chief for ten years before taking the top job at the United States Capitol Police Department as its chief. He would not be an outsider, but would be new to the political scene though, not having served in an elected office before.
It would be refreshing to see a mayor who would, from time-to-time, get out of the office and wonder the streets of Frederick interacting with residents and business owners as they go through their day-to-day routines, much the way Kim Dine did as police chief. It would be terrific to see greater transparency in processes that have a significant impact on the city and surrounding community like the proposed downtown hotel project. It may be time for an action oriented mayor, who like a cop, would tackle problems akin to the city’s blighted property head on rather than letting them fester for years.
Dine is a good listener with an open mind. He is not wedded to any political clique or special interest group but is very popular among a broad range of city residents and business people. He has a track record for success in Frederick, bringing community policing to the police department and instilling professionalism throughout the ranks in a way that has solidified a positive relationship between residents and the police officers who protect and serve them.
With Kim Dine, there would be an opportunity to expand upon his community policing success and introduce community governance throughout city operations. He would undoubtedly bring greater transparency and increased citizen participation to city governance.
Among those who have thrown their hat in the ring for the mayor’s contest and those who are considering it, there is a stable of good candidates. However, many city residents want someone new, someone with a fresh perspective. Kim Dine not only fills that need, but with his broad base of popularity within the city, is widely thought to be someone who could win.
At this point Kim Dine is on the fence and needs a nudge. If you want him in the race, I suggest you organize a Draft Dine campaign and take your thoughts, your support directly to him. He is a good listener and your effort may tip the scales.
Karl Bickel has been published in the Baltimore Sun, The Frederick News-Post and many other venues as well as being quoted in USA Today, Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast, The Washington Examiner and many more. He can be reached at KarlBickel@comcast.net
