After five years at the helm and 28 on the force in Chico, Police Chief Michael O’Brien announced plans to retire effective June 5th.
After 31 years in law enforcement, the vast majority at the department he would eventually lead, O’Brien said ultimately, it was input from his wife that set the wheels in motion.
At times jovial with reporters and briefly practically teary-eyed, O’Brien rattled off a list of reforms and initiatives launched during his tenure and said the force was on solid ground.
“I have the utmost confidence in the ability of this police department and its leadership to continue to build upon the foundation that was laid in the last five years.” O’Brien said.
O’Brien said he was proud to restore function ns curtailed during the recession. These include a focused enforcement unit called the ‘target team,’ a traffic unit, restored patrols, new radios and police dogs along with reform hiring practices.
He said his biggest challenge as a leader was navigating the adoption of body worn cameras, something not universally embraced.
A reformer on some issues, O’Brien is no fan of how voters and the legislature reduced sentences and raised the threshold for a felony charge in response to pressure from the US Supreme Court’s on California’s overcrowded prisons.
“We are facing significant issues in the State of California, I have said time and time again, the lack of accountability that we have for those that commit crimes in our community, is not only harming our communities, it is also harming those that are offending.” he said.
The 58-year-old O’Brien said he’d contemplated an earlier departure and turned down a job offer, due to the Camp Fire. He said he has no plans to leave the area, or to seek elected office.
He said he’d recommend his deputy, Matt Madden to take over. The next chief will likely be selected by the city council from among candidates suggested by city manager Mark Orme.