There should be no question that good police work is a significant factor in the fact that Yakima's crime rate -- and particularly its property crime rate -- is on the decline. And while we celebrate the good news of a major crime downturn, we share the dismay of a growing number in the community about continued evidence of internal strife in the Yakima Police Department.

A recent performance review of the department was highly critical of captains and lieutenants under Chief Sam Granato: "There appears to be an inappropriate, disloyal style of management from some senior command staff members that has had, and is having, a negative impact on the rank and file."

The review, which cost the city $8,000, was requested by Granato and conducted by a team of experts working through the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. That has led some to question its objectivity -- loyalty to a given chief of police being measured by other chiefs.

But we fear there is a larger issue at play here. Loyalty and respect are earned, and after five years as the city's top cop, we continue to wonder why that's still an issue on Granato's watch.

Perhaps part of the reason is the strange management structure with which he is apparently forced to work. City Manager Dick Zais, who hires and fires chiefs, tells us that all members of the police department, up to and including lieutenants and captains, are governed by state civil service laws and protections. The chief and a soon-to-be-hired deputy chief are the only exempt positions.

That means, said Zais, that any action that relates to conduct of their performance is subject to civil service review, which he says is standard for public safety personnel. In addition, Zais added, police officers, sergeants and lieutenants are unionized and captains have also petitioned for union status. According to the city's CEO, that leaves a situation in which there is civil service and union protection for management positions that normally would be exempt in the private sector.

On the other hand, if Granato left today, the same structure would still be in place for the new chief. And it will await the deputy chief.

While we don't dispute Granato's credentials as a good cop, we wonder if that necessarily translates into being a manager who can earn the respect and loyalty of a critical mass of his subordinates. It just seems like there should be more harmony and less friction after all this time.

After the review was made public, he declined to cite examples of alleged disloyalty that were also not identified in the report. He said he does not plan to demote anybody and that most of the issues were aired out in a recent retreat.

"The idea here is to set your personal egos and differences aside and work toward a common goal, and that's what we're doing," he said, adding that YPD is the largest police agency in the state without a deputy chief.

Granato envisions the new hire handling more of the day-to-day operations, freeing him up for more community outreach.

Perhaps the new deputy chief, as a buffer, will help improve the flow of communication up and down the chain of command to reach that common goal. But we wonder why it takes a new hire to smooth relations that have bumped along for five years now.

It's time to get everyone rowing in the same direction -- fast.

The people of Yakima deserve no less.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.