Los Altos' new chief of police talks one-on-one with the Town Crier

By Linda Taaffe, Town Crier Staff Writer

Most people probably believe that top law enforcement officials began their careers because of a love for the law. That’s not the case with Los Altos’ newest Police Chief Bob Lacey. The longtime Los Altos resident joined law enforcement on the contrary. Lacey said he developed a distaste of police while studying premed at UC Santa Barbara during a time of protests and heavy policing on campus. At one point, someone asked Lacey, “You think you can do better?”

Lacey took the challenge. He joined the Los Altos Police Department 25 years ago and was named chief in July after a search that included 19 other candidates.

The Town Crier sat down with Lacey one-on-one to find out what makes Lacey tick and what residents can expect in the upcoming year.

TC: You’ve been with the Los Altos police since 1980. Why have you stayed in Los Altos throughout your career?

Lacey: I started with the Sheriff’s Department in Santa Clara County. A friend in the Los Altos Police Department invited me on a ride-along. After one full day, I said, that’s it. Three months later, I was in Los Altos. I never felt I was making a difference in San Jose. There was always such a stack of calls that we didn’t have the time to spend with people. We were always worried with what’s next. Here, you get to finish what you start.

TC: What are the advantages of growing up in the community where you are now in charge of its safety?

Lacey: I think that it provides an insight that others might not have. My family moved to Los Altos in 1965, and I have experienced all of the challenges and changes that currently face our residents. I have an appreciation of issues as diverse as traffic, crime, parks, economic development and schools.

TC: What do you want residents to know about Bob Lacey?

Lacey: I am proud to be leading the men and women of this department. When we do well, they deserve the credit. If we fail, in even the smallest way, I will accept full responsibility. (Former Police Chief) Don Johnson had a way of challenging people to do better. He believed that complacency was not a good thing. I would like to continue that trend.

TC: What do you want residents to know about the department?

Lacey: We pride ourselves on responding to all calls for service, and in far less time than the county average. The average Los Altos police response is 2 minutes and 53 seconds. Our employees care about the community, and seek ways to become involved. For instance, we developed Internet predator, elder fraud and identity theft programs when we detected a need to provide community outreach in these critical areas.

TC: What’s the biggest misconception about being a police officer in Los Altos?

Lacey: I have often heard that Los Altos Police Department officers have it easy, and have less to do than police officers in other jurisdictions. We have the same range of activity - burglaries, sexual assaults - as everyone else, just not at the same frequency. I think the last murder was about 15 years ago. We’re working on robbery and sexual assault cases right now. Our personnel are highly trained, and risk their lives on a daily basis. In fact, I am very proud of the amount of work we accomplish with a lean workforce. (Note: The 46-member department receives about 22,000 dispatch calls a year - the equivalent of 458 calls a week, or about three calls an hour.)

TC: What are your goals for improving the department?

Lacey: I believe that we have a dedicated group of individuals working for the department. It is my goal to provide training to each of the employees, with the hope that I can prepare them for promotional opportunities. The city has been well served by having a stable workforce. Our goal is to provide the highest possible level of service to our citizens.

TC: What are the biggest challenges you face in your job?

Lacey: Since the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, a primary focus of law enforcement has been related to terrorism and homeland security. The level of training for our employees, coupled with the need to integrate our activities with other public safety entities, has created many opportunities for improved services. For example, the issue of radio interoperability has become paramount, and is being aggressively pursued. Along with the opportunities has come a significant workload demand, which continually impacts the time available for the delivery of basic police services.

TC: How have police methods and crime trends changed since you first joined the department?

Lacey: I joined the department in April of 1980. At that time, we did not have computers in the police cars; we lacked special teams (SWAT, Hostage Negotiation, Tactical Response Team), and had not yet begun training all of our personnel to a sufficient level. We didn’t have as many opportunities when I started. You were either patrol or a detective. It is not just that police methods or crime trends have changed. The world has changed in that time, and the integration of technology into police work has been significant. Today, we can check plates, conduct queries and message between cars, all in real time from our patrol cars. We can keep officers in the field. They don’t have to come back in to submit reports.

We are actively working to stay abreast of crime trends, rather than being strictly reactive. We take the show on the road instead of waiting until there’s a problem. (Former Police Chief) Don Johnson was a really good teacher. We worked closely together. He pushed us to be more visible, to get involved in the community, to get out there. I give him credit for that.

TC: The department appears to have stepped up efforts in community emergency preparedness. If a disaster like the one in New Orleans struck Los Altos, how would we fare?

Lacey: It has been 16 years since the last significant earthquake in this area. While we have witnessed disasters in other parts of the world, there is a sense of complacency here. The police department leads emergency preparedness efforts within the city. Three years ago, we developed a CERT (Citizen Emergency Response Team) Program to train citizens, and have trained more than 100 to date. The next CERT class begins in October, and we encourage citizens to take the course. This year, we formed a Citizen Corps Council (one of almost 1,800 nationwide) to direct emergency preparedness efforts. We have just purchased an emergency response trailer, and are researching the purchase and placement of additional emergency equipment containers. We continue to work to integrate the use of ham radio volunteers to assist with emergency operations.

TC: The department has had conflicts with city hall in the past over contract negotiations. How is department morale?

Lacey: I think they are optimistic and morale is good because (employees) have a stable contract. The Peace Officer’s Association is currently in the second year of a three-year contract. The last year of that contract guarantees that represented employees will be compensated just above the average of agencies in Santa Clara County. Our employees understand the economic realities faced by the city.

TC: For a while, there was concern the department was short the needed number of officers. Have you acquired the needed personnel and what, if any, needs remain?

Lacey: We are almost fully staffed at this point. The city has cooperated extensively with the department in aggressively recruiting and hiring personnel. We are confident that we will meet our goals.

TC: What’s been your strangest case or experience while working at the department?

Lacey: Although it is not a pleasant subject, it had to do with a man found critically injured on a street on a Saturday afternoon in the mid-1990s. He had suffered significant head injuries, and was unconscious. We assumed that he had been the victim of a violent crime, and investigated the incident accordingly, until he emerged from surgery that evening. At that time, he told us that he had attempted suicide by repeatedly trying to drive a chisel into the side of his head, which he had laid down on the rear bumper of his truck (on a residential street).

TC: What can people look for in the next year?

Lacey: I believe that our residents appreciate the efforts of their police department. Wherever I go, people comment to that effect. Rather than reinventing the wheel, we are concentrating our efforts on improving our service delivery. We view every citizen contact as an opportunity to do that. Our residents can expect the same high quality of service that they have seen, with a greater emphasis on Neighborhood Watch programs, emergency preparedness efforts and public education opportunities.