Walters May Take Chief Job in Riverside

Santa Ana Police Chief Paul M. Walters--a nationally recognized pioneer in community-oriented policing--is mulling over an offer to head Riverside’s beleaguered police department, sources said Thursday.

Riverside city officials approached Walters on Wednesday with a package to lead a police agency that has weathered charges of racism since white officers shot and killed a black motorist 18 months ago, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

The loss of Walters would be considered a major blow to Santa Ana’s much-heralded effort to reduce crime and gang violence in Orange County’s largest city. Any move is also likely to ignite a debate about whether the city should have a Latino police chief.

Walters and Riverside police officials declined comment. Though Santa Ana police officers and city officials said they knew nothing about the negotiations, many said they hope Walters will reject any offer made to him.

“He’s done an outstanding job in this community,” said Sgt. Mark Nichols, president of the Santa Ana Police Officers Assn. “When they talk about the reduction in crime in Orange County, what’s the No. 1 city that comes to mind? Santa Ana.”

Riverside officials are wrapping up a six-month nationwide hunt for a new chief after former Chief Jerry Carroll resigned in the wake of the December 1998 shooting of Tyisha Miller.

Miller was killed by four Riverside police officers responding to a 911 call who found her unresponsive inside a locked vehicle with a gun in her lap. They said that when they broke the window to grab the gun, she reached for it, prompting them to open fire. She was struck 12 times.

The Riverside Police Department is smaller than Santa Ana’s and has a smaller annual budget--$42 million compared to $72 million. Nevertheless, the chance to help reform the agency and soothe community relations might prove tempting to Walters, who unsuccessfully ran for Orange County sheriff two years ago.

“Riverside would be very tough . . . But it would be a really good challenge,” said Eileen Padberg, a political consultant who managed Walter’s campaign for sheriff.

Walters took the helm at Santa Ana in December 1988--a time when the department was in turmoil and gang violence in the city was spiraling out of control.

At 44, the new chief was the youngest in the city’s history and brought with him progressive ideas of policing. Most notably, he showed himself an ardent supporter of the “broken windows” theory, which asserts that allowing disorderly conduct in neighborhoods leads to more crime later.

Forging relationships with other city agencies, the chief helped create diversionary programs for the city’s youngsters while also cracking down on repeat offenders.

His vision has not been popular with everyone. In the early 1990s, Walters came under fire from advocates of the homeless.

But the soft-spoken chief has won praise amid an unprecedented drop in crime, with serious offenses falling by nearly half since he took over and murders plunging by more than 70%.

That success has brought with it a slew of accolades, including a presidential award in 1993 and an FBI leadership award.

If Walters accepts the Riverside job, discussion about a successor is likely to focus on whether a Latino should head Santa Ana’s department, which serves a population roughly 70% Latino.

“It’s a factor to look at,” said Zeke Hernandez, president of the Santa Ana chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens. “. . . [But] I think the city is going to consider any person [who] can make strides like Paul Walters.”

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Times Staff Writer Scott Gold contributed to this report.

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Timeline: Santa Ana Police Chief Walters

Santa Ana Police Chief Paul M. Walters has apparently emerged as the top condender to take over Riverside’s police department. Walter’s career at a glance:

1945 - Born in England while his father served a stint in the military

1960 - Moves with his family to Orange County as a teenager

1963 - Graduates from Santiago High School in Garden Grove

1966 - Serves as an Air Force sergeant, stationed in Okinawa

1971 - Graduates from the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy, joins Santa Ana Police Department as patrol officer

1977 - Receives a law degree from the American College of Law in Anaheim

1979 - Promotion to lieutenant, commanding operations in one quadrant of the city

1982 - Promotion to captain, commanding both the department’s administration and field operations divisions

1986 - Receives a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Cal State Fullerton

1987 - Finishes runner-up for Santa Ana Police Chief position behind Clyde L. Cronkhite

1988 - Immediately named chief when Cronkhite abruptly resigns

1992 - Receives a master’s degree in public administration from USC

1993 - President Clinton honors Santa Ana for having the most effective community-oriented policing program in the nation

1997 - U.S. Department of Justice study recognizes Santa Ana as a leader in community policing.

1998 - Runs unsuccessfully for Orange County Sheriff-Coroner, losing to Orange County Marshall Mike Carona

1999 - FBI honors Walters for his leadership

2000 - Finalist for Riverside Chief of Police position

Sources: Santa Ana Police Department, www.chiefwalters.com