Santa Barbara Asks Community Input on Future Police Chief
Source: City of Santa Barbara
The City invites you to take a confidential survey regarding your perspectives on the next Chief of Police and the Police Department. The survey will begin a conversation about what is needed in this key position. We look forward to your feedback and value your opinion!
19 Comments
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Mar 30, 2021 10:46 AMNot a secret- do it 180 degrees different than picking your last chief including a lower salary & someone not ready to retire in 3-5 years
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Mar 31, 2021 07:15 AMThats a huge challenge. It usually takes a fairly long career and years of experienve to reach being considered for being the Chief. So the competitive field of candidates, typically are close to retirement. I am sure the new Fire Chief announced yesterday, could technically retire any day. Retirement formulas for people at that age are based on their highest year of income, so it is not uncommon for top level managers to be close to retirement, so they get their " golden handshake" as a thanks for their lifetime of service.
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Mar 30, 2021 11:29 AMAgree with OOPS, hire an actual police chief, who will run a police department full of police officers that actually police the neighborhoods. Ludhow was a nice face on a totally broken system and the neighborhood property crime epidemic shows it.
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Mar 30, 2021 11:30 AMThe selection for chief should come from within the department. Why weren't one of the command officers (Captain's) in the PD selected for the current interim position? Why not? An interim chief comes in and knows absolutely nothing about the inner workings/personnel with the department. I'm concerned if a command officer was not pushing for the position; more concerned if the City Administrator does not have the confidence in any of the command officers ability to handle the position. I suspect there may be a lieutenant or two that may be qualified, can they be considered. Moving up to the next step I'm sure takes time due to the few Captain slots I understand are in the department. Either way this should be a concern for members of the department, especially the command officers. Let's hear a valid explanation why the city looks outside the department for the next Police Chief.
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Mar 30, 2021 12:42 PMYes to in-house selection. Surely there are capable choices WITHIN! If not....that is disconcerting. Neighborhood precinct edifices would be an improvement too, or at least neighborhood foot/ bicycle patrols.
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Mar 30, 2021 12:51 PMTrue! And, if there is nobody within the dept who could be chief, then, they shouldn't be on the force to begin with.
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Mar 30, 2021 12:48 PMHire from within? Nah, too simple. Conduct a nationwide search. Get a number of candidates. Fly them out, put them up and give them per diems! LOL.
Is there anyone in the department who is actually from SB and lives in SB? That's the person who should be considered.
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Mar 30, 2021 01:58 PMFor starters, why does the City even have an HR department if they are going to continually drop money on expensive, OUT-OF-TOWN "executive search" consultants, who have no intimate knowledge of the City's needs? Ridiculous.
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Mar 30, 2021 02:08 PMRequire that they live in the County. Make the vesting period for their pension 10 yrs unless they are fired for cause. I'm okay with bringing in someone from outside just to inject some fresh blood into the old boys network.
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Mar 30, 2021 02:38 PMPIT - I don't think people in the city benefit by placing these restrictions any more than they do by lowering hiring standards to become an officer. Don't want to change anything that will not give us the best qualified. What is "the old boys network?"
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Mar 31, 2021 07:17 AMOld boys network is the group of mainly guys that have come up through the ranks together and endured decades of the crap that cops encounter in their daily work. Plus they are taught to protect each other at all costs, no matter what is going on. So how does someone from that group discipline their friends and do what is right for the community instead of what is best for their friends?
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Mar 30, 2021 02:28 PMI think we need a nice Liberal Police Chief, A hippie with long hair someone who resembles Jesus with a darker shade of complexion Someone who listens to the Grateful Dead and smokes alot of Grass. He or She only wears moccasins with blue jeans and Tye Dye 100 percent cotton, eats only natural foods and shops at the Farmers Market..I think it's HIGH TIME the SBPD hires a Hippie as our Police Chief....You asked for my opinion and here it is.
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Mar 31, 2021 08:02 AMHippies don't like having jobs though...
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Mar 31, 2021 09:32 AMi can't agree with that, Roger, but you just described half of my friends when i was younger. What about Tommy Chong for the position?
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Mar 31, 2021 10:28 AMI had Tommy in mind when writing this actually...
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Mar 31, 2021 10:29 AMHippies love having jobs especially your job what is it you do for a living?
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Mar 30, 2021 05:46 PMHow 'bout a serious enforcer, say a captain from LAPD Metro? Never happen, of course. Preference will be a liberal person of color, maybe an alternative sexual identity. Very progressive. Why are they even asking? The powers that be already know what they intend to do, and LE bona fides isn't high on the list of qualifications.
All that said, and implied, I think they should hire from within. Such would be good for morale and enable the new chief to hit the ground running with a chief that already knows the community.
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Mar 31, 2021 09:31 AMwe had a "serious enforcer" which was Cam Sanchez and he was an @ss of the highest order, created a massive void and a terrible "us vs them" environment. No thanks. We need good community policing, not a bunch of thugs. we did that and it was bad.
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Mar 31, 2021 08:56 AMDon't choose someone because of race or gender. Choose the best person. Choose an over achiever who has more than 5 years to go.