Christopher Magnus is top pick for Tucson police chief

Christopher Magnus is the front-runner in the race to be the next chief of the Tucson Police Department.

Tucson City Manager Michael Ortega named Magnus as his choice for the job Monday afternoon.

“I think his creativity and innovation is something that will serve us well,” Ortega said.

During the application process, Ortega visited Richmond and spoke with police department staff, community members, and officials. He came away with the impression that Magnus fosters a “very collaborative approach” to dealing with crime and building support for police officers.

The members of the Tucson City Council ultimately decide who will replace Chief Roberto Villaseñor when he retires in December. The issue is on the agenda of the council’s regular meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17, Ortega’s office said Monday.

Magnus is the police chief of Richmond, California, a city of about 108,000 residents near San Francisco with a police department about one-third the size of Tucson’s agency.

The other top contender to replace Villaseñor was Malik Aziz, deputy chief of the Dallas Police Department. Aziz withdrew his name from consideration over the weekend.

Rick Gregory, a researcher in Florida and former police chief in Provo, Utah and New Castle, Delaware, also was in the running, but he did not receive any votes of support from a citizens advisory committee convened to help the council members make their decision.

The majority of the committee — 11 out of 14 members — endorsed Magnus, but the Tucson Police Officers’ Association threw its support behind Aziz.

A survey of about 70 Tucson police officers conducted by the police union showed only three officers supporting Magnus, while 50 supported Aziz.

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The negatives they identified for Magnus were: inconsistent discipline, lack of direction, a promotion process that is based on a non-ranked list selection, follows the “political wind,” and participated in a “Black Lives Matter” protest, TPOA vice president Brad Pelton wrote in a memo to union members.

Pelton’s memo also criticized Magnus for bringing in a civilian to replace the commander in their internal-affairs division, low morale, seen as “disingenuous” and has been the focus of harassment and discrimination complaints.

“I fully support him,” Councilman Steve Kozachik said of Magnus.

Magnus’ “major selling features” are his community policing efforts and his “creative staffing” moves at the Richmond police department, Kozachik said.

In terms of community policing, Kozachik applauded Magnus for addressing issues with the racially divided community of Richmond, including joining protesters in the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

“I believe that was absolutely appropriate,” he said.

Rather than hide from problems, Magnus acknowledged and tried to fix them, Kozachik said.

In terms of staffing, Magnus moved commissioned officers from desks to the streets. With TPD expecting vacancies by the end of the year, such a move could be an “immediate shot in the arm” to the department, Kozachik said.

Union President Roland Gutierrez said he cannot comment until he meets with the union’s board. It plans to make a statement Tuesday.

Villaseñor is leaving TPD after 35 years with the department. He took the reins in 2009 after serving as assistant chief.