Monterey Park Police to Get a Deputy Chief

A plan to restructure the Police Department by creating the position of deputy chief has been approved by the City Council at a workshop session.

The restructuring will not add a new position but simply change the configuration of the department so that a deputy chief and a second captain will serve under Chief Jon Elder. It also upgrades one sergeant position to lieutenant. The total cost to the city, which will come in promotions to the higher positions, will be $12,500 a year.

Elder said the change is needed if his 72-man department is to keep up with population gains. He disagreed with suggestions by City Manager Lloyd de Llamas that the department will become “top-heavy.”

“Our city has grown and with the influx of immigrants our present structure, which is five years old, does not meet the department’s needs or the community’s needs,” Elder said.

Elder is expected to name Bob Collins, a 30-year member of the department who has served as captain for eight years, as the deputy chief. When Elder is out of town, the deputy chief will be acting chief. Otherwise, he will manage the department’s line operations and support services such as the jail and the records bureau.