Burbank plans to hire new police chief; interim leader may apply

Burbank officials have announced plans to hire a new police chief, while the department’s interim leader said he is considering whether to apply.

Scott LaChasse, a 32-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, has held the title of interim chief since January 2010. His predecessor, Tim Stehr, who retired under a cloud of civil rights investigations and lawsuits, served from August 2007 to December 2009.

City Manager Mike Flad said it’s time to find a permanent replacement. LaChasse was originally hired on a six-month contract, and his command staff were all hired on a temporary basis, Flad said.

“The timing is right, the pieces are in place,” he added. “It’s time for a transition.”

LaChasse took the reins of a department in turmoil. The FBI had recently begun an investigation into allegations of officer misconduct and excessive force, while several former and current officers filed lawsuits alleging discrimination and retaliation.

“Because of the situation and his skills, he ended up staying 2 1/2 years,” Drew Sugars, a city spokesman, said of LaChasse. “He was making so much progress it made sense to keep him there … he’s performed admirably for the city.”

Flad said the national search for a new chief could take four to six months.

The goal is to get “the right person, not getting a person right away,” he said. “The primary focus is getting a quality candidate.”

Flad, in an earlier statement, praised the interim chief for accomplishing “a myriad of goals that include: assembling a top-level command staff, reorganizing the department’s organizational structure, implementing an accountability system, creating external oversight, updating the use-of-force policy and improving officer training.”

“Chief LaChasse exceeded our expectations, moving the department to a dramatically better position than when he arrived,” Flad said. “His achievements allow us to take the time necessary to hire a qualified permanent replacement.”

Glendale Police Chief Ron DePompa said he was surprised to hear that Burbank was looking for a permanent chief.

“I expected Scott and his command staff to be in place a bit longer — their work is unfinished,” DePompa said. Much progress had been made in changing the culture of the Burbank Police Department and raising the bar for performance and behavior, but such change takes time, he said.

“If direction is changed midstream, they are liable to lose the progress made to date,” DePompa said. “They’ve done a wonderful job of starting the change process and starting the restoration of public trust. I have great confidence in Scott and that command staff to finish the job there. I’m surprised to see a change short of the finish line.”

LaChasse will remain interim chief through the search process.

maria.hsin@latimes.com