Denise Turner’s starting salary will be $162,000, which pales in
comparison to the $275,000 or so former Gilroy Police Chief Gregg
Giusiana has collected.
The new police chief, Denise Turner, will start her job March 24, according to a copy of her formal job offer.
Turner’s starting salary will be $162,000, which pales in comparison to the $275,000 or so former Gilroy Police Chief Gregg Giusiana has collected by retiring in December 2006 and then continuing at an hourly rate as the chief for a full year while also collecting more than $100,000 in state pensions. Coupled with a similar arrangement for the assistant chief, Guisiana’s dual role actually saved the city about $116,000 per year in benefits and pension contributions, according to former City Administrator Jay Baksa.
Now, however, there will be only one, non-retired, full-time chief: Turner will replace Interim Chief Scot Smithee, who has risen from his former captain position to fill the chief vacuum until Turner’s arrival.
After several closed city council sessions and the consideration of a controversial letter drafted by the Gilroy Police Officers Association, the council publicly and unanimously approved Turner Feb. 4. The full recruitment process for a sworn law enforcement position in California includes a comprehensive background investigation and psychological and medical evaluations.
