Former Utah Highway Patrol Col. Mike Chabries was formally seated as Salt Lake police chief by the City Council Thursday, but only after some members complained about the approval process.
Last Wednesday, DePaulis appointed Chabries, who took office Monday, four working days before the council gave its formal consent to the appointment. That raised the ire of Councilwoman Florence Bittner."If we are a legislative body and we have advice and consent, then I am extremely bent out of shape that he (Chabries) is in office," Bittner said.
Bittner equated the action with the seating of a U.S. Supreme Court justice without the consent of Congress.
Councilman W.M. "Willie" Stoler called the move an act of "putting the cart before the horse," while Council Chairman Tom Godfrey said the practice could make future appointments "sticky."
DePaulis is attending the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta but his chief of staff, Mike Zuhl, said the mayor was not attempting to "circumvent this process" by making the appointment.