Search For New Police Chief Enters Final Stretch

Palm Springs city leaders have narrowed down their search for the next police chief.

“This is a critically important position for the city of Palm Springs so we’re looking for the best qualified candidate for police chief,” said city manager David Ready.

Palm Springs Police Chief David Domingez resigned in January amid the Warm Sands sex sting scandal, where he admitted to making a gay slur during a police stakeout.

Ready has cast a wide net trying to snag the right candidate ever since.

He’s narrowed the field down to three people, including acting Palm Springs Police Chief Al Franz.

“We had a mix of stakeholders join me on the interview panel and a council subcommittee. We ranked the candidates we had and right now I have to do my due diligence with background, etc, so I can narrow in on the final candidate I’d like to choose,” said Ready.

The Palm Springs Human Rights Commission held a public forum in May to hear feedback from residents about what they want to see in their new chief.

“Some people wanted someone that’s homegrown, someone that knows the community and can hit the ground running. Other people wanted someone from the outside that hasn’t dealt with the politics of the inside of Palm Springs and that can bring a fresh outlook,” said Luciano Ramirez, Vice Chair of the commission.

Some have suggested the next chief should be a member of the LGBT community, in light of the scandal.

But both Ready and Ramirez say the new chief should be able to connect with everyone.

“With the LGBT community, working with the African American community, the Latino community … all the different, diverse communities we have in Palm Springs. And it is a diverse community,” said Ramirez.

According to Ready, he could make his decision by sometime next week, possibly during the next city council meeting.