Police Chiefs in Two Cities End Careers

The police chiefs in Santa Ana and Huntington Beach retired Friday after together serving more than three decades in their posts.

Santa Ana Police Chief Raymond C. Davis, 53, known for his defiance of Immigration and Naturalization Service raids and for fashioning in 1975 the model for the Neighborhood Watch program, left his job Friday.

Huntington Beach Police Chief Earle Robitaille, who headed that department for 18 years, also served his last day on Friday, said the acting chief, Capt. Barry Price. Robitaille was unavailable for comment and “has probably gone fishing,” Price said.

He said Robitaille retired because “he’s maxed out his percentage in the (pension) system, reached the maximum accrual stage, so it would be financially wise for him.”

Robitaille, 55, announced his retirement last year and was succeeded by Capt. Grover Payne, Price said.

“He was offered some consulting work, a position with a law firm and police testing company, but basically he says he’ll do a lot of fishing,” Price said. Robitaille will remain an adviser to the National Institute of Justice, Price said.

Davis, previously a Fullerton police captain and police chief of Walnut Creek, was appointed chief of the Santa Ana department in 1973. In 1986 he was given the post of deputy city manager for police, fire and emergency services, Sgt. Collie Provence said.

He provoked ire from some of his officers but praise from Latino leaders when he refused police cooperation with INS searches for illegal aliens and called them wasteful and useless.

“He’s got in excess of 30 years in law enforcement altogether and he’s ready to retire,” said Provence. Davis hasn’t indicated what he might do in retirement, the sergeant said.

Santa Ana City Manager David N. Ream has appointed Deputy Chief Eugene B. Hansen as interim chief while the city recruits for the post, Provence said.