CHIEF, from page 1 New SM police chief sought
CITY HALL — In the interest of fairness, City Manager Lamont Ewell has decided to let the Santa Monica Police Department’s three top cops serve at the helm until a successor to Chief James T. Butts Jr. is found.
“Because there are several of our command staff within the department who are desirous of becoming the city’s next chief of police, and in an effort to demonstrate fairness, beginning this weekend, Deputy Chief Phil Sanchez will begin serving as interim chief for the next 30 days,” Ewell wrote Friday in an e-mail addressed to the mayor and City Council members.
SMPD Capt. Mark Smiley, who is in charge of the office of operations, will serve as chief during the second 30-day period, with Capt. Jacqueline Seabrooks, head of the office of criminal investigations, serving during the final shift.
Sanchez, who heads the office of administrative services, is responsible for SMPD’s planning and research, crime analysis, finances, fleet maintenance, personnel and training, department payroll, crime prevention and community relations, property, and animal control.
Smiley’s duties include the preservation of peace and the protection of life and property. He is essentially in charge of patrol officers, who enforce laws, conduct preliminary investigations and the apprehend criminals.
Seabrooks oversees the SMPD’s detectives and is responsible for the recovery of stolen property, the preparation and preservation of evidence in criminal court cases, as well as the apprehension of criminals at large.
“All are in agreement to be supportive of one another to ensure that the interest of the department and the city resident’s remain a top priority,” Ewell wrote.
In his e-mail, Ewell did not say if any of the three mentioned have submitted resumes to the Sacramento-based search firm of Peckham & McKenney, hired earlier this month for $17,500, plus expenses, to conduct a national search for candidates.
There has been talk within the department of a desire to hire from within, however, Ewell said he is open to all candidates that come before him.
Peckham & McKenney is assembling three panels comprised of residents, the business community, and three high-ranking city officials to give input on what qualities the next police chief should possess.
The firm, which recently helped the city of Menlo Park in San Mateo County select its new chief, will then look for candidates from across the country who exhibits those traits. Members of all neighborhood associations will be consulted, Ewell said, along with the Human Relations Commission.
Ewell said he is looking for applicants who are community oriented, with experience in neighborhood policing, as well as those who understand the importance of tourism to the local economy. They must also appreciate and respect the importance of being a team player.
Butts, 53, will lead the Los Angeles World Airport police and security forces assigned to four airports in three cities, as well as assume a pivotal role in collaborating and coordinating law enforcement and security duties performed by more than 4,000 federal and local officers. The largest of these outside agencies include the Transportation Security Administration, which has 2,000 transportation security officers, and Customs and Border Protection, which has 800 sworn officers. Butts announced his decision to leave the SMPD May 24. Before being selected as chief of Santa Monica in 1991, Butts served nearly 20 years in the Inglewood Police Department as a police officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief.
Salary for the next police chief ranges from $151,856 to $187,476.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 26, 2006. Read the original PDF.