Police chief Bill Rector announces he will retire in January
| Wednesday, Sep 23 2009 11:59 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Sep 23 2009 11:59 PM
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PAST CHIEFS
Bill Rector, 2004 to 2009
Eric Matlock, 1999 to 2004
Steve Brummer, 1993 to 1999
Bob Patterson, 1988 to 1993
Bob Price, 1973 to 1988
HOW DO WE CHOOSE THE NEW CHIEF
Applications and review by an oral board.
Police Civil Service Commission certifies top three candidates.
City manager makes final selection.
*Police commission can change this procedure
Bakersfield Police Chief Bill Rector confirmed Wednesday he plans to retire in January after serving more than five years at the helm of the city's 363-officer department.
Rector who will turn 50 in January said the department has made good progress on goals he had when he took over the job in 2004.
"It's really not me, it's we" who improved the department's standing in the community and positive impacts on the crime rate and traffic safety, he said.
Assistant Police Chief Bryan Lynn, who vied for the chief position with Rector, agreed that "without a doubt" the department has improved "under his (Rector's) leadership."
Lynn, 51, said he won't be seeking the chief's job this time because he too is going to retire soon because of "priorities and responsibilities in my life." Lynn said that Rector "has been a gracious person to work for."
One of the goals Rector had when he replaced Eric Matlock as chief was to "prepare leaders for the future." In that respect, Rector said, there are several people who would be qualified to assume the chief duties.
Lynn agreed with that assessment.
The city charter requires the police chief to come from with the department and be at least a lieutenant with two years experience.
That includes Lyle Martin, who filled a new position of assistant chief-operations in September 2008. Also potential candidates are captains Kevin Stokes, Robert Bivens, Greg Williamson and Joseph Bianco as well as lieutenants Hajir Nuriddin, Jay Borton, Michael Payne, Mitch Willoughby and Scott McDonald.
Rector said he would encourage any qualified person to apply for the position.
He noted "it is a difficult job" with many responsibilities, duties and time commitments.
When he walks out the door, he plans to take some time off from those pressures and spend more time with his wife and two children, a son, 16, and a daughter, 19.
After that, he may put his 27 and 1/2 years experience on the police force to work as a consultant or trainer, he said.
Rector will be eligible for the the city's 3 at 50 retirement program -- three percent per year of service for officers who retire at age 50 or older. The job pays $141,000 to $172,000 a year.
He said he will continue with exercise, weight lifting and running that he fit into his work weeks, but he will step up golf, fly fishing and watching his kids play sports.
Rector said he's been proud that the department helped him achieve goals he had on the first day of his job .
Over the years, there have been improvements in combating gang crime and reducing crime rates, he said.
Traffic safety has improved with enforcement and checkpoints to catch drunken drivers and unlicensed drivers, he said.
Rector said he and his administrative staff has been more accessible and involved in the community, serving on boards, speaking out to the media and conducting community meetings.
Technology has continued to improve with the use of crime analysts to "police smarter by putting people where crimes are likely to occur."
Next month, the police and sheriff's departments will be able to tap into each's other's crime data from computers in their patrol cars or their offices, he said.
That will be the first step to sharing information with even more police agencies in the county.
Even before Rector became chief, he headed the city's response to a federal investigation of the department. The U.S. Department of Justice reviewed city procedures and examined complaints of excessive force and racial profiling.
In early 2008, the federal investigation cleared the department of any such wrongdoing and said there were no constitutional issues in how the department was run.
"It's an outstanding result," Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall said at the conclusion of the 4 and 1/2 year federal investigation.
Rector said he has always appreciated how the department has worked together.
"I've been so lucky to have this position," Rector said. "It has been an honor to have it and I take it with a large dose of humility."
