Hailing the chiefs

The application deadline has been set at Jan. 15, and officials anticipate a decision by late spring. Pasadena City Manager Michael Beck, who will make the final decision, maintained that it was too early to tell whether the selection would come from within the department — Deputy Chief Chris Vicino is the interim chief — or from outside.

“We expect a rather strong response,” said Beck, estimating between 50 and 60 candidates. “Pasadena is a well-known department with a lot of visibility and a lot of opportunities.”

Though most of the selection process will be behind closed doors, residents in three community input meetings on the topic expressed concerns about the Police Department’s community relations.

The meetings bore four pages’ worth of itemized attributes that residents said they wanted the next chief to embody, from someone who recognizes the whole community and gets out from behind the desk, to a candidate with an understanding of different cultures.

“We’re going to be thoughtful and thorough in our process,” Beck said. “It’s fortunate that we have an opportunity to do so.”