Pomona : Tefank Named Police Chief

Richard M. Tefank, a 14-year veteran of the Pomona Police Department, has been appointed police chief. Tefank, who has served as acting chief since the resignation in February of Police Chief Donald J. Burnett, was appointed by City Administrator Ora Lampman and confirmed by the City Council in an executive session Monday night.

In light of the council’s recent decision not to contract with the county for police services, Tefank pledged that he would seek more efficient ways to operate the department and attempt to minimize the effect of the city’s financial crunch on law enforcement services. He said he hopes to develop more community involvement with the department and to establish a comprehensive drug-abuse program with the Pomona Unified School District.

Lampman, who originally named Tefank as interim chief, said he saw no benefit from seeking applicants for the job from outside the department. “We felt that since we have such a well-qualified individual within the department it was not worth the expense” to seek other candidates, Lampman said.

Tefank, who served with the Montclair Police Department for four years before joining the Pomona department in 1972, lives with his wife and two children in Ontario. His previous assignment was as captain of the Support Services Division.