Costa Mesa names Phoenix official police chief
Costa Mesa announced Wednesday that it had selected a top official in the Phoenix Police Department to be its next police chief.
Christopher Shawkey, a 47-year-old commander, has 25 years of law enforcement experience, including oversight of the city’s patrol department.
Costa Mesa has drawn controversy in recent months after it became the first city in the nation to ask the federal government to allow its officers to enforce federal immigration laws, but City Manager Allan L. Roeder said the issue “did not affect our ability to recruit a top candidate for police chief.”
Long Beach Deputy Police Chief Timothy Jackman was the runner-up.
Shawkey earned a bachelor’s degree from State University College at Brockport, N.Y., and a master’s degree in public administration from Arizona State University. He also received training at the FBI Academy.
Shawkey still must pass a psychological and physical evaluation. Roan said the salary had not been fully negotiated but would be between $136,000 and $183,000.
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