Pima Community College is appointing its longtime police commander to the department’s top job without a search for outside candidates.
Tucson native Manuel “Manny” Amado has served as interim chief of PCC’s public safety department since June, when former Chief Stella Bay resigned amid allegations of mismanagement.
Amado, a 1981 graduate of Pueblo High School, is a former Pima County sheriff’s deputy and South Tucson police officer. He’s been with the college for 18 years.
He holds a master’s degree in education/human relations from Northern Arizona University and teaches ethics and integrity for the state agency that certifies police officers.
Amado was the only qualified candidate for the chief’s job under a new PCC effort that aims to fill open positions quickly from within, PCC spokesman C.J. Karamargin said.
“It is great that the best candidate for the job is someone who has already served PCC ably for so many years,” Chancellor Lee Lambert said in a news release Friday.
Amado will make $99,273 a year as chief, pending approval from the college’s Governing Board.
