In a move that could come as a surprise to many, Sean Webby of the San Jose Mercury News reports that San Jose City Manager Debra Figone has decided to stay in-house and make Christopher Moore the permanent chief of police.
Moore, 49, has been acting chief since November of last year, when Rob Davis retired.
In his brief tenure as acting chief, Moore has been praised for promoting the first female in city history to the position of assistant chief (Diane Urban), as well as softening the city’s towing policy when illegal immigrants are stopped for traffic violations.
Low morale and criticism over racial profiling have dogged the department in recent years, and many were calling for a fresh start with the selection of a new chief
Figone’s decision to select Moore would have major ramifications for Anthony Batts, Oakland’s chief of police and the other finalist to be San Jose’s top cop. Batts has received criticism from city officials in Oakland, who, despite offering wide-spread approval of his performance on the job, were stunned to find out he was looking to leave after just one year into a three-year deal. He may have even greater problems in healing fractures within his department.
The Mercury News reports Tom Mannheim, Figone’s spokesman, has confirmed the city manager has made a decision and the city council will be notified of her choice in closed session Tuesday. The council would then need to ratify her decision in the public session.
Way to go Ms. Figone! Congrats Chief Moore!!!
—“praised for promoting the first female in city history to the position of assistant chief (Diane Urban)”
Could any assurance-seeking citizen ask for more from a chief? Who would have dreamed that Diane Urban’s genitalia could ever bring so much comfort to so many? Hell, my street feels safer already. At least now I know what to ask for when I need police help. “Hello, 9-1-1, get me a cop with a vagina here, Code 3! I’m being robbed!”
I wonder when homosexuality will get its recognition as a must-have in making our city safe? Or erectile dysfunction? “He’s hard on crime but otherwise a real softy… let’s make him a captain.”
—“as well as softening the city’s towing policy when illegal immigrants are stopped for traffic violations.”
Softening a policy that came into existence as an answer to a real problem used to mean the problem was solved. Not any more. Today it means that someone’s playing politics, in this case, politics directing how a particular group is treated by law enforcement—THE VERY DEFINITION OF DISCRIMINATION. Good example for the troops, Chief Moore. Wonder what other humbling concessions he’ll have to make to please Reichsmarschall Figone?
CMgr Figone made the right decision. Now She needs to step out of the way and let Chief Moore run HIS department without interference or the Monday Morning Quarterback style she is known too well for.
Moore does not live in San Jose or even in Santa Clara county. Why not ?
Because he is afraid like everyone else. The Murder and violence rates are up in a huge way. Would you let your kids live here?
Probably because he’s smart enough to know that he dosnt want his family to live in this dumpy city! Not having them walk in their neighborhood knowing there is either a piece of “you know what” gangster , parolee or megans law sex pervert in their neighborhood due to the city tolerating these people by offering them subsidized housing and or section 8 funding!
Guess what Interested, nearly 60% or more of the SJPD members do not live in San Jose. And, the vast majority of those do not live in Santa Clara County. Why is this? Well for those of you who want public service to mirror private industry, you should be happy. When the mass migration to Livermore, then Tracy, then Manteca, then Modesto took place a few years ago it was driven by the desire by many to have a nice home that was affordable with the trade off of a horrendous commute.
Police officers are no different and based upon an officer’s salary, a home in San Jose is a pipe dream. Add to this the desire by all officers not to stand in line at Safeway or sit in a restaurant and look over to find somebody you just had a violent encounter with and the formula is perfect for a police force comprised primarily of long distance commuters. Chris Moore is no different and began his residency in another county long ago.
Now more people are asking for a move closer to private industry for public employees via 401K accounts instead of a pension and other changes. This will only exacerbate an already estranged work force. One of the biggest complaints by the public regarding public safety is that they do not appear to have a connection to their customers. Community groups routinely ask for one year shift changes from the police department. Citizens want officers invested in their neighborhoods instead of a transitory occupying force.
Sorry folks, you can’t have it both ways. If you model your public service after private industry then you will be subject to a mercenary workforce that mimics the Silicon Valley. Public safety workers and other city employees will simply follow the money no different than everyone else. A San Jose cop or firefighter will always have one eye on the door if other agencies are paying more, contributing more into a 401k account, have better perks, or the working conditions are better.
No different than everyone else city employees will bounce from company to company dragging their 401k with them like a little red wagon. What possible connection will a citizen of any community have with their public servants if they are always looking for the next career with other public or private employment? While altruistic motives for public service were always part of many city employees motivation for a public service career, the benefit of having a solid retirement and a steady risk reduced income cannot be ignored. Part of the loyalty displayed by a public servant was the requirement that they stay with their employer for their entire career.
If San Jose decides to model their employment after the private sector, they will also have to compete with the private sector for quality employees. Times are tough now but history teaches us that life is a financial roller coaster. When the good times return, what sane city employee will stick around when private companies are once again offering stock options, Friday beer busts, take home cars, paid trips, and other perks of a strong economy. San Jose will see a mass exodus of talent and those left behind will only be the ones not selected by competing private industry. Any person in private industry knows who the better companies are, which companies have the highest amount of applicants, and which companies end up with the less talented or less motivated. Given San Jose’s miserable track record of fiscal responsibility and dismal record of leadership, I see San Jose becoming another Richmond.
She made the correct decision.
Sounds as if Heir Figone is continuing on with the marching orders of Das Furor Reed I thought there was a competitive process when it came to Civil Service selections? Hmmmm?
Chris needs to change his name to Jerry Mahoney, http://www.georgesunshine.com/images/jerrybig.jpg
As Figone will be using him as her “Puppet”. This is a real shame to see that everyone else was locked out of competing for the job. It appears that Chris has always been a “Book” Cop, or a professional student of sort’s of law enforcement but has never really practiced it at all.
Good luck Chris
No worries everyone. San Jose is still the fourth safest and most boring city in the USA. January is just our most un safe month.
As predicted, by embracing the progressive ‘values’ of multiculturalism and diversity, ‘up through the ranks’ Chris Moore has successfully demonstrated his liberal chops to our City Manager. That’s a good boy Chris. Sit. Roll over.
And we’re supposed to believe that the Police Department is an independent, courageous group that disdains the progressive politics that define it’s methods and it’s policies? I don’t think so. Not when they are so well rewarded for complying. If Moore’s promotion proves anything, it’s simply that the unbelievably generous compensation that the City offers it’s employees is a very effective method of convincing them to throw whatever values they might have had under the bus and get with the progressive program because the payoff is worth it.
Public Employee Unions. City Management.
These aren’t distinct entities with competing interests. They are partners. Partners who sometimes cooperate with each other, other times publicly scold one another, but always, ALWAYS with the common goal of extracting maximum tax dollars from the taxpayers. Then, in what passes as “news”, they squabble unashamedly amongst one another over the loot thus perpetuating the myth that they are adversaries.
City management has indeed been incompetent and irresponsible, as employees claim. But it is the employees who have been the beneficiaries of that incompetence.
What a racket. Six figure pensions. Give me a break.