ANTIOCH, Calif. (KRON) — An appearing chief has been named for the embattled Antioch Police Division. That is taking place because the division’s present chief; Dr. Steven Ford is about to retire Friday whereas dozens of officers stay underneath federal investigation.
Appearing Antioch Police Captain Joseph Vigil has been named the brand new appearing police chief.
He was amongst 4 inner candidates interviewed by Appearing Metropolis Supervisor Kwame Reed for the job, who finally made the choice.
“There was not an utility course of,” Reed mentioned. “It was our highest-ranking officers over there that I do know of and that’s what we did.”
“I feel Joe Vigil, given the place we’re at, is the correct selection for town,” mentioned Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe.
Reed can be tasked with hiring an interim chief, however he couldn’t present a timeline for that. As for figuring out the subsequent everlasting chief, Reed intends to rent a consulting agency and solicit enter from the neighborhood.
In the end, Mayor Thorpe says town council could select to take that accountability from town supervisor’s workplace which has been mentioned earlier than Reed was appointed appearing metropolis supervisor.
“There’ll be laws coming on the subsequent council assembly that might presumably change the reporting construction, if that occurs, if we transfer in that path, then it’ll be council’s resolution as to what path they’ll take when it comes to hiring a everlasting chief of police,” Thorpe mentioned.
With present chief, Dr. Steven Ford’s final day on the power developing Friday, Appearing Captain Vigil will take over as appearing chief Saturday. If he’s not retained as interim chief, Reed says he’ll return to his earlier function overseeing patrol groups, investigations and coaching new officers.
“I’ve labored with each of them in a few of these conferences and this week can be used as a approach of creating certain that that transition is as easy as potential. However I’ve full confidence in not simply solely in Appearing Chief Vigil however the remainder of the great Antioch command employees that’s over there — the oldsters which are nonetheless coming to work and doing their finest,” mentioned Reed. “I’m very enthusiastic about what the longer term seems like, as soon as as you mentioned, as soon as we will get that cloud from over their head and so they can begin doing the good policing that they had been employed to do.”
Vigil has beforehand labored for the Sacramento and Richmond police departments. Reed says he’s not among the many dozens of officers underneath investigation by the FBI and Contra Costa County District Lawyer’s Workplace for alleged police misconduct and sending or receiving racist and homophobic textual content messages.
