PCC will see its fifth employee in four years in the police chief position in Steven Matchan after the Board of Trustees decided to fire Don Yoder two weeks ago at its Nov. 17 meeting. The college has still not issued a statement explaining the firing of Yoder. This needs to stop. The campus is owed an explanation when the Board of Trustees fires an employee, especially one with the title of police chief, “with cause.” Safety of the students on and around campus should be a priority. The only way to ensure the safety of the community is to hire a police chief that can serve in the position for more than a full year and become comfortable with the campus and its various groups. Yoder had been the fourth police chief that the school had hired since 2011. He replaced Stanton Perez as chief of police in January 2013 after Perez resigned due to issues about the eligibility of his pension from his former job with the California Highway Patrol. At some point, it seems like less of a coincidence and more of a problem in the hiring process. Jordyn Orozco said it best when he said that the Board had to take more time while vetting a candidate. “I think the school is so used to rushing someone into the position,” Orozco said. “We have some really good people who can hold the fort down, while we prolong the hiring and screening process.” Before that, Frank Scialdone served as interim chief while the school searched for a new chief after Peter Michaels mysteriously went on leave and then retired. Michaels was yet another chief that had rumors floating around as to why he really left. Things like this only hurt the school’s image and reflect poorly on the board. The administration needs to stop making these types of embarrassing blunders. The next selection for campus Chief of Police should come only after a thorough process of background checks and proper vetting.
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Disband these donkeys walking around acting like they are pasadena pd.
Now way! Let’s pick a chief like we pick a president for the college: just rush into it, making an ill-informed choice that ignores real concerns and then watch the whole thing blow up in our faces!