South Pasadena Acting Police Chief Permanently Appointed to Post

Acting South Pasadena Police Chief Brian Solinksi has been formally named the city’s top cop, officials announced Wednesday.

The selection by Interim City Manager Sean Joyce followed a recruitment process and two rounds of interviews conducted by a panel of four community members, as well as a panel made up of three former police chiefs, including former South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller, as well as South Pasadena Fire Chief Paul Riddle, city officials said in a written statement.

Solinsky has been with the department for 27 years. He will be leading 36 sworn officers and 15 full-time non-sworn personnel.

“I have been impressed with Acting Chief Solinsky’s leadership since Chief [Joe] Ortiz’s departure late last year,” Joyce said. “Under Brian’s leadership, the Police Department has already renewed its commitment to community engagement and initiated training programs aimed at police accountability and inclusiveness.

“Now, with the benefit of the insights of eight interview panelists who evaluated four finalists, I am even more confident that Acting Chief Solinsky is the best candidate to lead the men and women of the South Pasadena Police Department during this transformational era in municipal law enforcement,” according to Joyce.

Solinsky said being selected as South Pasadena Police Chief was “an honor.”

“I look forward to my continued service to this great city in this new position of leadership,” he said.

“I embrace contemporary policing philosophies that promote efficiency, effectiveness, and the equitable treatment of all,” Solinsky said. “I am committed to strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and our citizens. I believe it is only through this partnership that a police department’s true success can be measured, and I pledge to serve the South Pasadena community with integrity and distinction.”