After Request For More Participation, City Manager Reminds Commission It Already Provided Insight in Police Chief Search

One week after members of the police oversight commission told the City Manager Miguel Márquez they wanted more involvement in the selection of the new police chief, Márquez reminded them in a letter that they already provided input on the matter.

When Márquez spoke to the commission on Oct.7, members of the Community Police Oversight Commission urged him to look for ways to include members of the commission in the process of selecting Pasadena’s new chief of police.

The process is down to the final three candidates, and two panels helped narrow down the semifinalists.  

Members of the CPOC are not included among the members of the panels.

But it turns out, the Oversight Commissiob provided valuable insight to the recruiter seeking candidates for the position.

“After our meeting, I was informed that Frank Rojas, the executive recruiter selected by the City to conduct the Police Chief recruitment process, met with the CPOC on May 5, 2022 — several months prior to my commencement as City Manager,” Márquez wrote to the commission on Oct. 14. 

“During that meeting, I was informed that the CPOC described the values, skills, and attributes the CPOC would like to see in the next Police Chief.”
According to the letter among the attributes CPOC wants in the next chief includes, an understanding of the duty to serve the community and someone who will be empathetic and proactive in engaging low income communities. 

The CPOC also shared that it values having an inclusive, courageous leader who respects its work and will emphasize de-escalation, while willing to embrace change.

The PUSD has embraced de-escalation tactics for several years. 

“The valuable information you provided to Mr. Rojas was incorporated into the recruitment bulletin that was prepared for the recruitment process,” according to the letter. “That input influenced the types of candidates who were recruited.”

Rojas has also met with Independent Police Auditor Dr. Richard Rosenthal to discuss the expectation that Pasadena’s next Police Chief listen and work collaboratively with the CPOC. 

Márquez thanks the commission for its work.

The city has been without a full-time police chief since early January when then Police Chief John Perez retired. Last July 1, the filing period to apply for the position ended.

Márquez is charged with choosing the next police chief.

“I am currently evaluating the finalists to ensure I select the candidate who will best serve our community,” Márquez said. “I intend to be thorough, deliberate, and thoughtful in this decision-making process. Barring unforeseen obstacles or delays, I anticipate the announcement of a new Police Chief will occur in the coming weeks, probably sometime in mid-November.”