STOCKTON, Calif. — San Jose Police Department's Deputy Chief Stan McFadden has been chosen to lead the Stockton Police Department as the city's 50th Police Chief, the city announced Wednesday.
McFadden will fill the vacancy left open when former Chief Eric Jones retired in January after a 28-year career with the Stockton Police Department.
“The Chief of Police is such a significant and important leadership role, particularly for our community," Stockton City Manager Harry Black said in a statement. “I felt that it was imperative to have a very inclusive process. Chief McFadden embodies the qualities and characteristics expressed by everyone involved in the process, which he has demonstrated through extensive experience in diverse positions and assignments and a career in law enforcement that spans three decades."
McFadden will start his new position in Stockton on June 1. According to the press release, he and his family have lived in San Joaquin County for two decades.
McFadden was one of four candidates that the City Manager's Office announced interest in publicly, for the role of Stockton's top cop. On April 20, McFadden and three other candidates gathered at the Bob Hope Theatre in Downtown Stockton for a town hall featuring questions submitted by Stockton residents and public officials.
Two of the candidates who were also vying for the position were ranking members within Stockton Police Department's leadership team.
In his Wednesday announcement, City Manager Harry Black said one of those candidates, police Captain Antonio Sajor Jr. will be promoted to Deputy Chief, also effective on June 1.
While City Manager Harry Black made the move to hire McFadden, the nearly five-month-long search process included a public survey where Stockton residents were able to voice opinions on the role of the police chief. The search was described by the city of Stockton as nationwide and included help from a consulting firm based out of Rocklin.
Some community leaders involved in the search for the new chief say they are happy with the decision made.
"He seems to have a reputation in San Jose from other community organizations that we are in a relationship with and community members on the ground, so he seems to be someone of integrity, someone with a good reputation," said Toni McNeil, lead organizer for Faith in the Valley, a local faith-based organization. "He's forward-thinking and progressive and has ideas in regards to leadership and systemic change that can be made."
Bobby Bivens, president of the Stockton Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) also expressed support for the choice in an interview with ABC10.
"It's great that we are now having a black police chief in Stockton that understands a broad base of issues, but not just the fact that we have a black police chief, but the best candidate that was in the pool," Bivens said. "I am happy that the city manager made the best choice, the right choice based on qualification, based on experience and he happened to be an African American."
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In his statement Wednesday, City Manager Harry Black touted McFadden's experience in law enforcement leadership leading 800 sworn officers, more than 150 non-sworn employees and handling an annual operating budget of approximately $273 million at the San Jose Police Department.
In a profile posted on the city of Stockton's website, McFadden says he hopes to bring transformative change to the Stockton Police Department.
"His mission is to focus on Organizational Wellness and become the newest community team member in partnership with all communities, to build, sustain and foster new relationships founded on trust and mutual respect while reducing violent crime and improving the quality of life for everyone," the profile says.
McFadden will start during a tumultuous time for the Stockton Police Department dealing with an unprecedented surge in homicides early in the year and low staffing levels.
Watch More on the City's Search for a Police Chief: Stockton Police Chief Search: Town Hall - April, 20
