Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee may have retired on June 1, but he was back to work the next day.
The Gilroy City Council on June 1 agreed to keep Smithee on as interim chief as the search for a new head of the police department gets underway.
Smithee, a 30-year veteran in law enforcement, was brought out of retirement in 2017 to serve as police chief for three years, according to the city’s human resources director LeeAnn McPhillips.
He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Arts in Leadership from Saint Mary’s College. He is also a graduate of the State of California Police Officer Standards and Training Command College.
Smithee, who previously served a stint as interim chief, first retired in 2015 at the rank of police captain.
As a retired annuitant, Smithee is limited to 960 hours of work per fiscal year, according to his contract, and will be paid a salary of $99.12 an hour.
McPhillps said the interim appointment will save the city about $8,500 per month. The city will conduct the estimated four-month recruitment process itself, saving costs by not hiring an outside firm, she added.
An online job listing for the police chief position estimates the salary to range from $153,516-$206,160 annually. The chief oversees 69 sworn officers.
Smithee adds to Gilroy’s list of department heads serving on an interim basis. The city administrator, fire chief and finance director positions are currently held by interim staff.
Gilroy is recruiting for a fire chief. In a job listing posted online recently, the salary ranges from $153,516-$206,160.
