It came as a bit of surprise when it was announced this week that David Bejarano was the new Chief of Police for the City of Chula Vista. It would have been a bigger surprise if it hadn’t been leaked that he had applied and was one of the four top candidates for the position last week. Bejarano had been the leading candidate for the office of Sheriff for the County of San Diego after a strong showing in fund-raising prowess. Apparently the sure thing in hand was a much better proposition than trusting his future to the vacillations of the voters.
Bejarano is a solid choice having served as Police Chief for the City of San Diego for four years and as U.S. Marshal for San Diego and Imperial counties. His real strength, though, lies with his community networking and community relations. Bejarano presently serves on the Board of Chula Vista Elementary School District to which he was appointed, is on the Board of Directors for Vibra Bank in Chula Vista, and the list goes on and on with appointments and boards that he belongs to and serves on.
While his community connections and extensive network of associates is a positive it also presents a problem in particular with his position as a Board member with the Chula Vista Elementary School District. While we don’t know of any rule that prohibits him from continuing to serve on the school board, we find it difficult to justify his serving on the board while Chief of Police. We assume the breadth and depth of responsibilities as Chief would preclude him from having the time to give the school board – and more importantly the children – the attention that this important role demands and the parents expect from their school board members.
With that said, Bejarano steps into his role as Chief with his plate full. Not only does he have to continue the discussion of dealing with budget constraints and the jail house issue, he has a growing crime issue in the city that appears to be feeding off of the drug cartels south of border.
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has just released a Grand Jury Indictment charging 17 individuals connected to a kidnapping and murder crew operating in San Diego known as Los Palillos, cartel-related group responsible for nine murders and body dumping in San Diego, Chula Vista, and Bonita, after a two year investigation.
It sends chills down the backs of Chula Vistans to learn that kidnapping, killings, acid burning of individuals, drug dealings, and other heinous crimes are occurring in their neighborhoods.
As the city of Chula Vista continues to grow and mature from what was once a bedroom community, the Chief of Police has to deal with a whole set of new problems that the other past Chiefs did not have to deal with on a daily basis. Issues such as cross border violence, cartels, and kidnappings are just the latest manifestation of two growing cities associated with the border.
Police Chief Bejarano has his hands full and needs to focus on the job as he takes the police force into the next decade.