By Jeff
Chorney
STAFF WRITER
HAYWARD
THE POLICE Department swore in three new upper-level managers Wednesday, a move designed to take the city's nationally recognized community-policing program to the next tier.
"If we have active (community) groups trying to make areas better -- then I'm successful," Deputy Chief Jim Trimble said. He fills a new position made official during a ceremony at City Hall on Wednesday evening.
Also sworn in were Capt. Dennis Houghtelling and Capt. Manuel Silva, both former lieutenants.
About 200-300 people, including officials from other police agencies, city leaders and officers' families, filled up the City Hall rotunda for the hourlong ceremony.
"Successful organizations are those that have individuals that serve as pillars of strength, people you can count on," Chief Craig Calhoun said, including the three men in that category.
Hayward's police department, like many others in the area, has a rank structure that starts with officer and moves to sergeant, lieutenant, captain and chief of police. Detectives fall somewhere between officers and sergeants.
Trimble's position is new, though the department just shifted around its civilians and sworn command structure to make room for it. It will not cost the city any extra money, Calhoun said.
Mayor Roberta Cooper praised the department, and the three newly promoted men stressed the help they have received over the years from family and colleagues.
"This badge that I'm wearing tonight, 25 percent (of it) I believe I earned. The other 75 percent belongs to the rest of the people ... who helped me get here," Silva said.
Silva, now head of the investigations division, replaces Roger Power, who retired and soon will be an Alameda County Sheriff's deputy. Houghtelling is the new commander of patrol, replacing Richard Dettmer, who also retired.
Instead of sitting in the watch commander's office in a uniform and driving out to manage emergencies, both men will be in offices upstairs at the police station on Winton Avenue.
"My philosophy is that I'm not going to be in a shirt and tie all the time," Houghtelling said. "I'm going to do my best to get out on the streets."
That is, if he can get away from the mountains of paperwork that come with any management spot.
Houghtelling now is responsible for budget matters, staffing (the "right people in the right spots") and special projects run by the patrol division, including community policing.
The deputy chief spot carries the tag line "of community policing" because Trimble has been tapped to head Hayward's efforts to shift law enforcement philosophy away from strictly responding to calls.
Everyone, including beat officers, will be urged to look at solving overall community problems, not just arresting the criminal and sending him or her to jail.
"I'm going to work directly with beat officers and sergeants -- which is unusual -- to ensure that beat officers realize the influence they have to change neighborhoods," Trimble said.
He plans to get officers more involved in neighborhood solutions by coordinating department resources.
The tools Trimble will give to his officers include getting outside agencies, such as building inspectors, involved and using the department's own special Problem Oriented Policing team.
Trimble said he also is going to set an example by rolling up his sleeves and "getting out there."
"If I'm successful ... that will be a significant change in the way we do business," he said.