In appointing Dorchester's Bob Dunford as Superintendent of the Boston Police, Commissioner Paul Evans took an important step in advancing the professionalism of the entire department.

Captain Dunford has been police commander in Area C-11 since 1991, and he has been the city's leader in developing and defining the role of community policing. A former head of the Police Academy, Dunford trained hundreds of young officers in the fundamentals of policing. Dunford has a strong academic background and has impressive credentials as a teacher, placing an emphasis on sound training and instruction.

During his tenure in Dorchester, he was a highly visible figure at any number of community meetings and was always there to assist when the need arose. A solid, street-wise cop, he is at the same time a caring and concerned community member, highly regarded in his neighborhood and his church.

Among the audience at Tuesday's swearing-in ceremony at First Parish Church, there was a broad sense of pride and satisfaction at the promotion, a broad-based awareness that Commissioner Evans was taking a step that will have a long range positive effect on the department. Now retired heroes like patrolman Walter Fahey and Supt. Bob Faherty looked on with a sense of pride in their eyes. Fahey recalled working for Dunford, and admires him deeply: "When you write this story, make sure you mention his high academic standards," Fahey said.

The Boston Police Department has weathered some turbulent times and there have been calls for more training. Supt. Dunford will bring a strong commitment to education to the command force. His promotion is another bold step by Commissioner Evans. He has named a first rate officer to an important position.

- Ed Forry

Voters Intent Clear on 'Clean' Elections

Last week on election day, we visited the polling place where House Speaker Tommy Finneran and his family vote. The Lower Mills Library hosts two precincts and we checked in at day's end to witness the tabulation of ballots cast by Finneran and his neighbors.

In those precincts, there were two ballot questions of special note: Question 3 asked the voters whether they support using tax dollars to fund political campaigns. But there was an additional ballot question unique to that district: Question 4 asked voters if they wished to instruct their State Representative to support "Clean Elections."

In those two precincts, the voters sent a clear message: they do not support the use of taxpayer dollars to fund political campaigns, but they told Speaker Finneran to support "Clean Elections."

A contradictory vote? Not at all.

In their hearts, most people believe that they want the best candidates running upstanding campaigns. They do not like the negative campaigns, the push-polls, the high-priced attack advertising that filled the airwaves these past two months. And most of all, they do not like politicians using their tax dollars to pay for such campaigns.

The people who crafted the so-called "clean elections" ballot questions are guilty of a deception on the voters. The people in this district sent a clear message: of course we want elections that are "clean", we just don't want politicians spending our tax dollars on them.

And by the way, in case there are any doubters: Dorchester and Mattapan voters overwhelmingly supported the reelection of Rep. Tommy Finneran.

- E.F.