Gilroyans said they want a new police chief who understands gangs, the homeless population, graffiti and those who are mentally ill.
One of the first comments was from Armando Franco, who suggested the ideal candidate have experience working with youth impacted by drugs and gangs and who understands the concept of restorative justice. “We can’t arrest our way out of the drug or gang problem. We need a candidate who has alternative ideas.”
The primarily Latino group also wanted a candidate with experience working with immigrant and undocumented communities. Someone who is perhaps bilingual, or is familiar and sensitive to the concerns of the Latino, Spanish-speaking community.
“We need someone to help us with our homeless population and mentally ill people, it seems like every year the issue is getting bigger,” said Leticia Panuco.
Mentioning Turner’s success in addressing the graffiti situation in Gilroy, Linda West said the city needed to make sure the new police chief maintains the things that are already done well. “If it’s working, don’t change it.”
Others said they wanted a candidate who has experience in community and downtown policing; one who can address Gilroy’s increase in property crime and can implement a neighborhood watch program; someone who can advocate for the city’s youth and who will mobilize police officers to take time to visit local schools and engage positively with students, and a police chief who can delegate and has experience setting up systems and procedures that will help solve identified problems in the community.
“Its very important for us to get input from our residents,” said City Administrator Gabe Gonzalez, to the group at South Valley Middle School last week.
The input collected at the forums will be used to draft a recruitment brochure that will be used in the nationwide search for a new police chief starting in January. The city council, police department and other community stakeholders will also be consulted.
A new permanent police chief is not expected to be hired until late spring or early summer 2017, due to the exhaustive search and extensive background check required by the state.
The city will hire an interim police chief to head the department during those intervening months, said Gonzalez, and are currently looking at four possible candidates. The idea, he said, is to have the interim police chief, whose maximum pay rate is capped at $90.70 an hour, overlap with Turner for at least a week.
In the nine years chief Turner has led the police department, she has earned a well-regarded reputation for being a visible presence in Gilroy, participating in groups like the Exchange Club, Rotary, and Chamber of Commerce.
Gonzalez said the city would like to build and even improve on that legacy, but he needed residents’ help.
“Every neighborhood throughout the city has their own value system so the purpose of tonight is to get your input,” said Gonzalez, who invited local community activist, Sally Armendariz and CARAS (Community Agency for Resources, Advocacy, and Services). There was also a translator available for Spanish speaking attendees.
The hour-long meeting was facilitated by Paul Kimura from Los Gatos-based executive search firm, Avery Associates, which has been hired by the city to conduct the recruitment effort.
“I really appreciate all you being here,” said Kimura, as a member of city staff took his place at a large tablet and easel, ready to write down the group’s suggestions. “It is one of the best ways for us to identify the attributes that are important to you.”
At the end of the meeting, Franco was impressed. “A lot of people are really scared right now to voice their opinions so setting up these kind of forums are very helpful and informative. It really does create that sense of unity that we are looking for.”
Turner earned $248,000 a year, including benefits.
