Getting a new chief

[BigDogatPlay]

The City of Desert Hot Springs is losing their chief to the town I call home.

From various articles it looks like Chief Williams has a solid record in both gang and narcotic enforcement, something that's needed here in spades. He also looks to have been something of a stabilizing influence at Desert Hot Springs, which apparently went through 10 chiefs in 10 years before he got there (wow) according to what I read. If Petaluma PD needs anything it's stabilizing. The interim chief, one of the two lieutenants (who both used to be captains prior to budget cutting), has been in role for three plus years while the city has dithered and ultimately passed both he and his peer over. There's been no small amount of infighting in the command staff as budgets have grown tighter and tighter. The street level morale is so-so, for a variety of reasons, with a heavy focus on grant driven activities.

Just wondering if any of you from out desert way have any non-confidential 411 on what kind of a shop Chief Williams runs and what kind of chief we can expect.

[gorn5150]

Desert Hot Springs was so bad. Back in the 70's even Joseph Wambaugh took a swipe at it in one of his books.

[Heiko]

Chief Williams has a good reputation with the troops and has done a good job of working with other local agencies. Perhaps more importantly, he has managed to deal with a very hokey city council; the type typical of a small, challenged city. DHS local politics has traditionally be a gong show. Being able to successfully deal with the city and the city's "colorful" citizenry speaks to his political acumen. Chief Williams is well liked by the citizens and they are grateful he has helped clean up the city and the department. (DHS has traditionally had one of the highest populations of parolees in the state. For whatever reason, CDC liked to parole to DHS.)

Chief Williams has managed to find money to hire cops, most of them good ones, to clean up a department that has had its share of federal civil rights cases against officers, and a bad reputation as a department who would hire other department's castoffs. That stuff is in the past and the current roster is good to go. The Chief did some creative things like hiring DA investigators to help clear the backlog of investigations and recently contracting with another local department to "hire" three of its officers to patrol his city. (I'm not sure if there was a reason he couldn't hire his own cops.) It helps DHS to have more cops in a time of need and coincidentally, helped those three cops keep jobs for their own department was going to lay them off.

Bottom line is that he will be missed and Petaluma will be getting a great Chief.

[RedFord150]

Not LEO here, but own a rental property in DHS and have several relatives living there.
I can say that the past several years the PD has done a great job 'taking out the trash'. If they had not, I would not have purchased my property in January, 2011.
I have followed DHS politics for many years and the term 'Cronyism' applies. I like DHS because of the natural environment, not the residents. I might even retire there one day. I have a vested interest in seeing the city continue to improve. I truly hope they find a good candidate for the job.
If you LEO's are interested in reading about one heck of an operation, 'Google' the term 'OPERATION FALLING SUN'. This was the 2009 multi-agency operation that let the losers know that LE was paying attention. Almost 600 officers from various agencies in So Cal brought their 'A game' and showed no mercy.

[Heiko]

Not LEO here, but own a rental property in DHS and have several relatives living there.
I can say that the past several years the PD has done a great job 'taking out the trash'. If they had not, I would not have purchased my property in January, 2011.
I have followed DHS politics for many years and the term 'Cronyism' applies. I like DHS because of the natural environment, not the residents. I might even retire there one day. I have a vested interest in seeing the city continue to improve. I truly hope they find a good candidate for the job.
If you LEO's are interested in reading about one heck of an operation, 'Google' the term 'OPERATION FALLING SUN'. This was the 2009 multi-agency operation that let the losers know that LE was paying attention. Almost 600 officers from various agencies in So Cal brought their 'A game' and showed no mercy.

Too bad you missed the bad old days with the various chiefs along the way and the various officers who have come and gone, some to prison. Chief Williams has been the best Chief by far.

The likely successor should be Commander Dan Bressler. He is well qualified and well respected. Hopefully he, or whoever takes over, continues on the good path.