The Port Arthur Police Association, whose leadership has remained tight lipped since the announcement of a vote of no confidence against police chief Patrick Melvin in November, released a rebuttal this week to his previous comments to their concerns.

In fact, the association never intended to provide an itemized list of concerns or possible solutions to Melvin’s leadership because “the majority of the officers in the Port Arthur Police Department indicated they have lost all faith, trust and confidence in his ability to lead the department. Instead, the association made the decision to present our facts to the city manager of Port Arthur for a solution, “according to a document from PAPA to the interim city manager Harvey Robinson.

There were changes in the city administration in recent months that resulted with Brian McDougal resigning as city manager and Jimmy Johnson being named interim city manager until Robinson was officially appointed.

But somewhere in the middle of those changes, the document was released to Melvin, PAPA said, who in turn made comments on each of the association’s issues via the news media.

A 40-plus-page document was provided to local media that included PAPA’s original concerns, Melvin’s publicized rebuttals and the association’s answers to Melvin’s rebuttal.

While Melvin believes the low morale is due to rumors spread by the association’s leaders, the association believes the chief and his own administration created the low morale from poor leadership and lack of communication with their officers.

PAPA claims that anytime a person attempts to suggest Melvin’s staff is not doing things sensibly or lawfully they find themselves being transferred quickly.

“So, in order of self-preservation or fear of retaliation, communication has stopped,” the document stated. “This was no mistake on any union members’ part. This was the actual design of Chief Melvin’s regime.”

The document ends by asking Robinson for his assistance in the matter.