BELL GARDENS : Hunt Widened for New Police Chief
The City Council has authorized a nationwide search for a new police chief.
The council has had several discussions about whether to give the job to acting Police Chief Ed Taylor, who has held the position since William Donohoe resigned last April.
Taylor, a veteran patrolman who once headed the Police Officers Assn., is generally liked by officers, according to Bell Gardens officials. But some council members have said they would prefer to hire a chief who is Latino or bilingual to serve as a role model for young residents in the overwhelmingly Latino community. Others have expressed concern about Taylor’s lack of administrative experience.
Already, some residents have rallied around Taylor. More than 550 have signed a petition demanding that he be promoted. The petition will be submitted to the council at its meeting Monday.
Taylor was unavailable for comment.
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