City officials have tapped a former police chief to recruit
Gilroy’s next top cop, at a cost of roughly $14,000.
Gilroy – City officials have tapped a former police chief to recruit Gilroy’s next top cop, at a cost of roughly $14,000.
Gary Brown will serve as the primary recruiter from William Avery and Associates, a Los Gatos-based search firm who previously picked Gilroy’s parks and recreation director, fire chief and community development director. Avery Associates’ experience, and Brown’s background in law enforcement, swayed Human Resources Director LeeAnn McPhillips to select the firm over four other candidates.
The firm will charge $14,200, plus up to $6,450 for advertising, printing, travel and other expenses, to profile an ideal Gilroy chief, reach out to plum candidates, and evaluate and present those candidates to the city, said McPhillips.
Brown, a former Monterey police chief, will be the city’s key contact throughout the search. He has also led the police departments of Chowchilla, South Pasadena and San Clemente.
Picking a search firm is one of the first steps towards selecting Gilroy’s next police chief. The entire process is expected to take roughly six months, culminating in city administrator Jay Baksa’s selection of a chief by January 2008 – the date estimated by McPhillips. Baksa will choose the chief, with council’s approval, from a handful of applicants interviewed by panels of community members, other department heads, the POA and city administrators.
The search itself has become contentious: In March, the Gilroy Police Officers Association pressed for the city to begin recruiting a new chief immediately, after expressing displeasure with the quiet retirements of both current Chief Gregg Giusiana and Assistant Chief Lanny Brown. Citing pre-arranged scheduling in the Human Resources Department, Baksa said the search couldn’t be expedited, and didn’t need to be.
Now, some City Council members are asking why the search can’t be delayed, allowing the city administrator who replaces Baksa to select the Police Chief she or he would be working with.
“If I left work and someone was coming in to replace me, I wouldn’t want to start appointing people to high positions as I’m leaving,” said City Councilman Russ Valiquette.
McPhillips and Baksa will meet with Gary Brown next week to discuss the recruitment in greater detail, McPhillips said, hammering out the final schedule within weeks.
