While most of you went home or just out of town for the summer, Cambridge and city news stayed behind.

Here's a re-cap.

Embattled Police Force

A number of "serious charges" levied against the Cambridge Police Department prompted several city officials to question the force's leadership this summer.

The department, headed by three chiefs in the last six months, first came under public scrutiny when the lockers of five minority policemen were found painted with the letters "KKK." In August, two charges of brutality were brought against the force, and the Boston Bar Association's civil rights department threatened to sue the city over the department's poor affirmative action record.

City officials, launching investigations into all of the charges, said they hope the recent return to duty of Acting Chief Anthony Paolillo will help to stabilize the department. Paolillo suffered a heart attack only months after taking command of the department.

City Manager Robert S. Healy has asked the FBI to enter the "KKK" case, after an internal investigation failed to turn up any leads. Both city and police officials said they believe the author of the racial slurs is a member of the police department.

Healy responded in reference to the charges over affirmative action that because of budget cutbacks, there are presently no openings in the department Healy added, however, that he has requested Paolillo to devise a hiring plan which includes the affirmative action concerns.

The city council's public safety committee investigated the charges of police brutality, and the committee's chairman. Councilor David Wylie, said a report will be released soon.

Jobs Plan

Troubled by the city's high unemployment rate, but at the same time encouraged by the more than $1 billion in new development projects currently in the works here, city officials began devising a plan which they hope will guarantee Cantabrigians a fair share of the returns from the construction boom.

City Manager Healy, in conjunction with county officials, proposed that approximately 25 percent of new employment opportunities in Cambridge be reserved for Cambridge residents.

But several councilors found that the program lacked a number of needed provisions and sent the planners back to the drawing board.

The councilors were concerned that the city currently has no agency to oversee the employment plan. There is no funding budgeted for the program, and there is no certainty that a hiring quota is legally enforceable.

Councilors said they expect the planners to resubmit their hiring proposal next month.