The City of Hollister has narrowed its search for a new police
chief to one finalist.
The City of Hollister has narrowed its search for a new police chief to one finalist.
He is Jeff Miller, currently a sergeant in Sonoma and formerly the police chief of Rohnert Park.
The City Council interviewed Miller during a closed-session meeting Monday and may vote whether to hire him July 21, according to officials who asked to remain anonymous.
If hired, Miller would replace former Police Chief Bill Pierpoint who retired in late March.
City Manager Dale Shaddox, responsible for hiring the new chief, said he could not comment on Miller or the process of hiring a chief.
“I have a legal obligation not to discuss a personnel matter,” he said.
Miller has also worked under Hollister’s current Interim Police Chief Larry Todd. Before Todd retired as the Los Gatos police chief in June 2002, Miller was a captain and second in command under Todd, according to a Los Gatos Weekly Times report from March 2000.
In Rohnert Park, Miller also oversaw the fire department while carrying the title of public safety director.
Miller could not be reached for comment Tuesday. He is 45 years old and has a wife and three daughters, according to the Los Gatos Weekly Times.
Todd said he could not comment on the hiring of a new chief, and said he did not know Miller was the finalist.
Todd will leave in early August if the city hires a new chief Monday. The time line for Todd’s departure, however, is not concrete because no final decision has been made about the position.
Several Hollister officials confirmed on Tuesday that Miller is the final candidate. But most of them would not discuss specifics about Miller or his potential hiring because it is a personnel matter.
“It’s illegal for us to comment on the situation at hand,” Councilman Tony LoBue said.
Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia said “the person” has “strong people skills,” along with an impressive education and an experienced background.
“He (Shaddox) feels he will do a really good job for the community, that he’ll be an asset to the community,” she said.
Former Hollister interim City Manager Ed Kreins was hired to conduct the police chief search. After advertising in professional journals and on the League of California Cities Web site, Kreins narrowed the search to eight finalists, he said.
An oral review board that included three police chiefs interviewed the candidates and narrowed the search again to three finalists. Kreins conducted final background investigations and provided Shaddox a written report on his search, he said.
“I did not recommend any specific candidate for appointment,” Kreins said.
Todd said he has enjoyed the four months as the interim chief.
“Talk to the staff,” Todd said. “If morale is better, if they feel better about themselves, if they work as a team, then yes (I’ve succeeded),” he said. “That’s for others to judge, not me.”
