San Jose Police Chief Moore: "We will create a closer relationship with the community"

San Jose has found a new chief of police. Chris Moore has been an officer in the department since 1982. He has worked in many different positions throughout the department and holds several university degrees. In 1999 he also served on Janet Reno's council. Chief Moore sees difficult times ahead in his department, but maintains a positive attitude.

"San Jose will continue to have a trustworthy and professional police department," he assured in his exclusive interview with La Oferta. "The most significant change, however, is that we are trying to engage with the broader San Jose community. This means that we are reaching out to San Jose's diverse communities, and learning firsthand about their needs."

As an example, Chief Moore referred to a recent change in the practice of impounding cars for 30 days. "That was one worry in the community, and also one of my own. We were wasting resources in a time of severe budget cuts," he said.

And speaking of budget cuts, Chief Moore is most concerned with the possibility of cutting a third of the city's police department. "We are still not sure if we are cutting 349 positions. If it were to happen, we would have to look into more efficient alternatives."

He also referred to the department's recent accusations of racial profiling. He said that although there had been complaints right now there was still no evidence proving these incidents. However, changes have been made within the department. "These changes include the expansion of the code of conduct that guides an officer when detaining a person of color."

Expanding on this theme, Chief Moore said, "We must remember that in San Jose there is no racial majority. We are made up of diverse minorities. I want to make it clear that I want to reach out to all communities, work with them and solve their concerns in the fastest way possible. And, if we're unable to do this we will explain the reasons why."

Aside from the optimism, Chief Moore recognizes that not everyone will be satisfied. To those who are already criticizing him he asks that they, "Come to see me in six months and we will be able to talk about what we're doing. If we haven't improved the city, it is vital that I know this. But, I think that by that time we will have accomplished the goals we have set for ourselves."

Regarding the murders that have occurred in the first two months of the year, Chief Moore explained, "these are part of crime, but (murders) have declined over the years. In 1985 in the city there were 53 homicides. In these two months, half of them were related to gangs and drugs, which is only one kind of criminal activity. Still, we are working toward keeping this city as the safest in the country."

To finish the interview, Chief Moore sent out a message to the Latino community: "It is not our responsibility to enforce immigration laws. We do not work for ICE. However, if a person commits a crime and is arrested they are then dealing with federal laws. And if that person is not a legal resident they will have another problem to deal with. We are only tasked with enforcing laws in this city. Most of all we are looking to create a closer relationship with the community. We want to build bridges so that people will feel confident in reaching out to the police. We might not be able to solve all problems, but we are doing our best."