Angels in Our Community - The Spectrum Magazine

Redwood City Welcomes New Police Chief
By Steve Penna, publisher
this change in leadership while maintaining our
motivation and commitment to the citizens of
Redwood City.”
“The Sergeants Association is 100 percent
supportive of Bob Bell’s appointment and extremely
excited to welcome Chief Gamez,” said Redwood
City Police Sergeants Association President Paul
Sheffield. “Chief Gamez will be a wonderful addition
to our organization and one the community deserves.”
promoted to sergeant on May 15, 1994.
As a sergeant, Gamez supervised patrol
officers and was selected to work as a supervisor
in the following specialized assignments:
Juvenile/Missing Persons, Narcotics and Covert
Investigations, DEA Task Force, Night Detective
Detail and Special Operations – Street Crimes/
METRO Unit. He was promoted to lieutenant
on Feb. 16, 2003. He served as a patrol watch
“I am impressed with the department, its officers. They
are professional and have an outstanding reputation”
After a seven-month nationwide search,
Redwood City City Manager Bob Bell has
announced the appointment of Capt. J.R.
Gamez of the San Jose Police Department as the
city’s new police chief.
“We had a lot of very qualified candidates and
they went through an exhaustive process that
included meeting with department and community
members, city staff and myself. J.R. demonstrated
strong leadership skills, a great vision for the
department and community, and he had a proven
track record of working with the community and
implementing innovative programs that improve
the quality of life for residents and businesses
alike. He is a thoughtful and articulate individual
and he really understands the importance of working
with the community. We are fortunate to have him
accept this position,” Bell said.
Gamez will take over the department on Dec. 2.
He will be paid a salary of $15,582 a month, or
$186,984 annually, and was hired as an “at will”
employee as part of the executive management group.
The Redwood City Police Department has a total
of 94 sworn officers and numerous support staff.
Redwood City Mayor Jeff Ira said the decision
was Bell’s, and one he wholly supports.
“I removed myself 100 percent from the hiring
process, and Bob would let me know how it was
going and when he would be making the final selection,”
said Ira. “I am confident in [the] process and
confident in Bob, and knowing Bob, it must be a
great choice,” he said of Gamez’s appointment.
The decision is also supported by the Redwood
City Police Officers and Sergeants Associations.
“The POA has great faith in Bob Bell and his
ability to recruit and appoint a highly effective
leader for our department. Our members welcome
this new era ... with Chief Gamez at the helm with
enthusiasm and optimism,” said Redwood City
POA President Mike Reynolds. “We will embrace
“I will be relocating to Redwood City in the
next few months,” Gamez said. He will first move
into a rented apartment until his son graduates
from high school in June. The family will then
relocate here permanently. They currently live in
Morgan Hill.
The appointment comes nine months after the
resignation of former Police Chief Louis Cobarruviaz
on Feb. 16. He was sworn in as chief on Jan. 18, 2007.
At the time, Cobarruviaz was the fifth-highestpaid
city employee with a salary of $213,279.
There is no date set for Gamez’s swearing in.
Ironically Gamez worked under Cobarruviaz
when he served as the chief of police of San Jose
from 1991 to 1998. In fact, he appointed Gamez to
sergeant in 1994.
As the search for a chief was conducted, Bell
appointed two highly respected Redwood City
Police captains, Ed Hernandez and Chris Cesena,
as rotating acting chiefs. Both of them applied for
the chief position.
“[We had] internal candidates for the position
and they were very qualified, the competition
was very tight and my objective was to hire the
best individual for the job that had a variety of
experiences working with a diverse community,”
Bell said. “I included a lot of people in the assessment
process, and at the end of that process and in my
follow-up interviews with J.R. and those he had
worked with, it was clear he was the best person
to lead our Police Department. It was a difficult
decision but I believe the right decision for our
department and the community,” he added.
“This is a huge appointment for our
organization,” Ira said. “We have been in limbo
waiting for a new police chief, and moving forward
this will be positive for our Police Department
and community in so many different ways. …
There is no question in my mind that there will be
100 percent support there from the organization
and I am looking forward to that,” he said.
Gamez was born in San Francisco and
graduated from San Francisco Christian High
School in 1980. He then attended Fresno Pacific
College and San Francisco State University.
Gamez joined the San Jose Police Department
on April 18, 1986. He is currently the Western
Division commander. He worked in patrol and
was then selected to work in the following
specialized assignments: Special Operations –
Narcotics Enforcement Team, as a detective with
the Narcotics and Covert Investigations Unit, and
as task force agent with the DEA. Gamez was
commander, lieutenant of the Special Operations
– Violent Crimes Enforcement Team, and as the
commander of the Homicide/Crime Scene Unit.
Gamez was promoted to captain on Feb. 6, 2009,
where he currently serves as the Western Division
patrol commander.
“I am ready for it. I am prepared to take on the
responsibilities,” Gamez said. “I am not planning
[to] bring the San Jose Police Department here but
the experiences I have had.”
The city’s website describes the Redwood
City Police Department as “an organization of
professionals who are dedicated to integrity,
customer service, the rights of individuals,
and the needs of a constantly changing society.
We are a progressive police department which
recognizes that by working in a partnership with
our community, we can best meet our goals of
protecting life and property, improving the quality
of life, reducing crime and the fear of crime, and
maintaining a safe community.”
“I am an outsider coming in with fresh eyes,”
Gamez said, adding that he would be “doing
an assessment of the department for the next
90 days.” He said he will be meeting with all
individuals within the department while gathering
community input on the department.
“I am impressed with the department, its officers.
They are professional and have an outstanding
reputation,” Gamez said. “This is a great fit for
me,” he continued and said he plans on working
as a team and “taking it to the next level.”
“I truly believe we have the finest police
department of any city and we have found an
individual that can lead the department well
into the future. I believe under Chief Gamez’s
leadership, the department will be an even better
partner and leader in making our community
safer and stronger,” Bell said.
(City Manager Bob Bell with new chief Gamez)
www.SpectrumMagazine.net