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Gavin Newsom's Mariah Carey-like Interview Demand
No, it's G-a-s-c-ó-n.
Dragging someone new into the force, Mayor Gavin Newsom went all the way to Phoenix, Arizona to get our new chief of police. The dramatically accent-marked George Gascón, who was the police chief of Mesa, will replace retiring Heather Fong. Defending his decision to go outside the police force to find a new top cop, Mayor Newsom told SF Chron, "I know going outside is a risk ... But he is a nuts-and-bolts-type of chief, a cop's cop and very active in community policing." A few of the goals Newsom has in store for the new chief? Using some sort of computerized high-tech super system for "spotting crime trends," increasing "the crime clearance rate," and bolstering the "morale of rank-and-file officers."
Also, according to hgis bio, "Gascón received a B.A. degree in History from California State University, Long Beach, and a Juris Doctor Degree from Western State University, College of Law," and is an active member of the California Bar Association.
Gascón will start off making $292,000 year, when he starts his new job in a month or two.
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"he is a nuts-and-bolts-type of chief, a cop's cop"
A cop's cop? Is that anything like "a girl's kind of girl"?
I'm thinking we should get corporate sponsorship to pay these outlandish city hall salaries. Sort of like Nike sponsoring Tiger Woods.
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This makes sense because Mesa, Arizona (460,000 people spread out over 120 sq. miles) and San Fran (3/4 mill spear out over 49 sq miles) share lots in common.
Also do we really want a chief who can find his way to crime scenes? He'd only be underfoot anyway.
also Mesa is a mormon town. he'll fit right in with our values!
I'd love to find out if his guaranteed pension will be even higher than the one Heather Fong gets.
You people need to get out more - or learn to use Google. Or actually read the Chronicle. Or even the Examiner.
Chief Gascon has only been police chief of Meas, AZ since 2006. (and has rubbed some of the locals the wrong way for being too "liberal" - apparently the rednecks didn't appreciate Gascon refusing to waste police resources on tracking down illegal immigrants.)
Before Mesa, he was Asst. Chief of the LAPD. Is that a big enough California city for you? He served as Asst. Chief under Bill Bratton, the former chief of the Boston PD who was responsible for the Boston Miracle - the dramatic drop in crime in Boston in the 90s. After Boston, Bratton went to become chief of the NYPD under Giuliani. Giuliani canned him for being too good at his job and stealing the limelight from Herr Rudy.
Oh, and LA under Bratton has been about the only major city to have seen reductions in crime over the last few years. So I think this guy has learned from the best and has plenty of big city experience. SFPD is lucky. Hopefully we can hold onto him, because when Bratton retires, Gascon will be at the top of the list to replace him.
LAPD: the most paramilitary police force in America! i stand corrected, a perfect fit for our fair City.
I appreciate that we attacked before he even started his job.
atta boy ess eff!
Maybe this chief will actually go to the range and get qualified like all the other officers on the force...
-g