Search for Police Chief for Huntington Beach Finds Him on the Force

A national search for a new police chief has led Huntington Beach officials to Capt. Grover L. (Bill) Payne, their Police Department’s most veteran officer, it was announced Wednesday.

Payne will replace Chief Earle Robitaille, who announced last week that he will retire April 17, ending a 24-year career with the department.

His departure, a city spokeswoman said, was unrelated to the fact that Robitaille was named earlier last week in two lawsuits accusing the department of brutality. One of the suits seeks $25 million in damages for burns allegedly caused by police using electric stun guns during five separate misdemeanor arrests.

Council Approval Expected

The City Council is expected to officially approve Payne’s appointment at its regular meeting Monday night, city officials said Wednesday.

As police chief of the county’s third largest city, Payne will oversee 327 employees, including 197 sworn officers.

The department has been the target of several recent lawsuits charging officers with excessive force and violating citizens’ civil rights.

But City Administrator Charles W. Thompson, who chose Payne and has recommended him to the council, said, “In the life of a police department, the question of a stun gun is one item in a hundred.”

The selection process for a new chief “had nothing to do whatsoever with the thought of one particular (issue),” Thompson said. “It had to do with how you will deal with situations you will be confronted with--many situations that are difficult.”

Payne, 52, began his law enforcement career in 1958, when he joined the Huntington Beach Police Department as a patrol officer. Police spokeswoman Jo Anne Bonkowski said Payne worked through the department’s ranks and was promoted in 1967 to captain.

In that capacity, Payne has worked in every division of the department, Bonkowski said.

Currently, Bonkowski said, Payne is in charge of the scientific investigation bureau, juvenile bureau, detective bureau, narcotics unit and vice and intelligence unit of the Police Department. The 52 employees under his direction are responsible for investigating all crimes in the city and preparing cases for prosecution in court.

With National Guard

Payne served in the National Guard from 1949 to 1951 and in the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1955. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration at Pepperdine University in 1973 and graduated from the FBI National Academy the next year, Bonkowski said.

Payne lives in Huntington Beach with his wife, Mary; they have three married children. With council approval, he will take command of the department April 18.

According to Thompson, Payne beat out 40 applicants for the position, including candidates from New York, Detroit, Texas and Arizona.

In addition to advertising the job in the Chief of Police magazine, a nationwide publication, Thompson said, he and the personnel director sent out 300 personal letters to every police department in California, scouting for good candidates.

“I don’t think you realize how good your own people are until you are comparing them with other people from other departments,” Thompson said Wednesday. “. . . And I didn’t go into it with the idea of taking someone from within.”

“I think the most interesting thing about Bill Payne is his humaneness and his ability to relate and communicate with people,” Thompson said.

For example, Thompson said, Payne was “involved in dealing with the aftermath” of the Labor Day weekend riot at the Huntington Beach Pier during which spectators at a surf contest were injured and city vehicles were torched and destroyed.

“He was dealing with community people who had complaints or questions about the appropriateness of the actions (of officers) and what happened,” Thompson said, “and these are very difficult times to deal with. It’s about 1% logic and 90% emotion . . . and I think he was earning some very significant recognition because the issue was handled very well.”