Timeline: Richard Miranda

Richard Miranda is a shoo-in to be named Monday as Tucson's police chief and should be sworn in Tuesday, city officials said yesterday.

Six of seven Tucson City Council members say they intend to approve Assistant Chief Miranda's appointment to the top post. Councilman Jerry Anderson said yesterday that he hasn't decided how he'll vote.

Most council members had nothing but praise for City Manager Luis Gutierrez's selection of the 23-year Police Department veteran to succeed outgoing chief Douglas Smith.

Smith announced last month that he was resigning to become director of the Tucson center of a federally funded drug task force. As chief he earned $102,000 in base pay plus $7,500 a year in deferred compensation.

"I think Richard Miranda is the most solid, high-caliber candidate to take us into the next millennium," Councilman Jose Ibarra said.

Councilwoman Shirley Scott said: "He has come through the ranks. He knows the department very well. I believe he brings a lot of talent and professionalism, and I like the fact that he is home-grown."

Gutierrez said Smith will leave the post Monday, and he hopes to have Miranda in the chief's chair the next day.

Anderson said he has nothing against Miranda, but questions the selection process.

Gutierrez opened that process Sept. 8 only to the Police Department's four assistant chiefs, three of whom - Miranda, Robert Lehner and Collier Hill - applied for the job.

Then a citizens committee and a law enforcement panel interviewed the applicants and made recommendations to Gutierrez. The law enforcement team consisted of Pima County Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik and former Phoenix Police Chief Ruben Ortega, who now is Salt Lake City's police chief.

"I thought it (the search) should have been opened to the whole police force or maybe a regional search," Anderson said. "I think because of its importance it requires a thorough process that we select the best candidate available."

Anderson said he hopes to talk to Miranda later in the week.

Gutierrez said looking at the assistant chiefs was intended only to be the search's first phase.

"I feel the top commanders in the department are very capable and professional people," Gutierrez said. "Had I not found a chief at that level, I would have expanded the search. I certainly didn't want to waste any time because it's an important job to be filled."

Gutierrez said both panels gave Miranda, 46, top marks.

"Six-and-a-half years ago he was promoted to assistant chief," Gutierrez said. "He has demonstrated in his performance as assistant chief that he is ready to move to the next level."

Council members Janet Marcus and Steve Leal said they intend to vote for Miranda, but thought a national search would have been a good idea.

"I don't have any problems with what we did," Marcus said. "I think the only thing a national search does is that it would validate the local guy who was picked."

Leal questions why Gutierrez didn't listen to an advisory board's suggestion that the search go national.

"I think we should have honored the request of the (Citizens Police Advisory Review Board)," Leal said. "The council went to the trouble of creating it, and then we ignored it."

Suzanne Elefante, chairwoman of the board, said it wanted a national search to see what type of candidates were available.

Councilman Fred Ronstadt said one of Miranda's first tasks will be to address "all the issues drudged up in the past six months."

In particular, Ronstadt said he referred to the firestorm surrounding then-Capt. Kevin Danaher's April 8 drunken-driving wreck. He also cited allegations that a police psychologist's contract was not renewed because of his damaging testimony in a civil case against the department.

Smith demoted an assistant chief and a patrol sergeant and suspended three officers for mishandling the investigation into Danaher's crash.

"I just want to see him (Miranda) be open. . . . It's wise to address those issues right up front," Ronstadt said. "I think Doug Smith and the city manager addressed the issues and went through the process, but there's always lingering questions. For a new person to ignore them may not be a smart thing to do."

Mayor George Miller and other council members said Miranda clearly will follow through on the city's commitment to community-based policing.

Police officers across the board said they were pleased with Miranda's selection.

"I think he is an excellent choice, and I think there were some very good candidates to choose from," said Rick Hovden, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #1, which has about 400 members active with TPD.

Of Miranda's style as chief, Hovden said, "I would hope it's a no-nonsense, businesslike-type attitude. I believe that he has always been a fair person to work with in the past, and I would expect he would continue that way."

Sgt. Richard Anemone, president of the Tucson Police Officers Association, said, "One of the finer points about Dick Miranda is, the troops feel he's concerned about them - that he cares."

Tucson police Capt. Roberto Villaseñor praised Miranda's management style.

"He likes to be informed, but he gives you the freedom to make your own decisions," Villaseñor said.

Arizona Daily Star reporter Inger Sandal contributed to this story.

Miranda's actions do the talking for longtime city cop

Nearly 30 years ago, a sportswriter described Richard Miranda as a silent leader on the football field - a kid who got back on his feet after being knocked down, then went on to intercept a pass with 1:40 left in the game.

His family, friends and co-workers painted a similar picture yesterday after City Manager Luis Gutierrez announced that the quiet, deliberate Miranda was his choice to be Tucson's next police chief.

If approved by the City Council on Monday, Miranda will be sworn in Tuesday.

"I think people in general would like to be part of a winning anything - whether it be an organization or a group - and Dick's always been able to show that he's a winner," said South Tucson Police Chief Sixto Molina, a friend since the pair were patrol officers 20 years ago.

Miranda's voice was hoarse yesterday afternoon after a series of media interviews.

"I see (being called quiet) as a strength," he said. "I like to listen and I like to hear all the facts before I make a decision, and you can't do that while you are talking."

He seemed in no hurry to claim his new desk from outgoing chief Douglas Smith. "Doug's got a lot of stuff in there, and offices don't mean much."

Although Miranda plans to continue with most of the programs and initiatives already in place, he anticipates some changes.

"There's going to be an emphasis on communicating internally and an emphasis on making sure the officers understand why decisions are being made," he said.

He sees the need to set the foundation for growth as Tucson increases from a medium-sized to a large metropolitan department. To that end, he said, he is looking at staffing, facilities and other resources.

Miranda described himself as "very heavily into traffic enforcement" and "not afraid to use enforcement strategies" such as task forces and zero-tolerance approaches to combat crime.

His selection as chief pleased a number of rank-and-file officers and union leaders, who want to improve relations with the administration.

"One of the finer points about Dick Miranda is, the troops feel he's concerned about them - that he cares," said Tucson Sgt. Richard Anemone, president of the Tucson Police Officers Association.

Police Sgt. Rick Hovden, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #1, said Miranda has always been fair, "and I would expect he would continue that way."

Miranda said he will maintain close contact with officers.

"I need to be out there not only for them but for myself," he said.

Miranda joined the department after graduating from the University of Arizona with a bachelor of science degree in public management.

Yesterday he attributed his steady progression up the ranks to mentors inside and outside the department who urged him to challenge himself.

"It's very easy to stay in a job where you're comfortable and enjoy it. But when someone wants you to do something else that's not comfortable . . . and they need your skills to better the Police Department, you need to step up and do it," he said.

In 1992 when Miranda was a captain, he had been encouraged to apply for the top position when Chief Peter Ronstadt retired. He emerged as one of the final four candidates; the job was given to Elaine Hedtke, who promoted Miranda to assistant chief.

But when Hedtke left less than two years later, Miranda said he felt he wasn't qualified to replace her. Instead, he concentrated on gaining more experience, earned his master's degree in education at Northern Arizona University and sought professional training.

When Smith resigned last month, Miranda felt qualified to join fellow assistant chiefs Robert Lehner and Collier Hill in applying for the job.

But he had mixed emotions when Gutierrez told him he had the job, "because I knew they wanted to be chief of police as much as I did," Miranda said.

Lehner praised Miranda's selection. "I have worked with Dick Miranda for many years and think he is an excellent choice. I'm looking forward to working for him," he said.

Lehner may yet get his turn.

"I'd like to be around for a while, but the reality of the situation is, the days of a Peter Ronstadt sticking around for 10 years are over," Miranda said. "When you talk about a longtime chief (today) you are talking someone who can last five years."

After his police career, Miranda said, he will consider his options.

One may be taking part in the family restaurant business. His mother's side of the family - in Tucson since the early 1900s - is known for a number of restaurants including Molina Midway, Casa Molina, Las Margaritas and El Molinito.

Amalia Miranda, in an interview from Molina Midway yesterday, described her son as "very quiet, very serious, very family-oriented. He's always doing things for his kids."

Richard Miranda and his wife, Maria, have been married 17 years and have three children, ages 15, 12 and 7.

Word of Miranda's selection spread fast through his family and friends.

"The phones are ringing off the hook - we're extremely proud of him," said his cousin, David A. Vasquez, a Tucson attorney. "He's been trying so hard to get to that position. We knew eventually he would."

Attorney Rick Gonzales, a friend since he and Miranda played Little League together in Mission Manor, said Miranda the police chief will be much like Miranda the athlete: "He was very competitive and played hard. . . . He always led in a quiet, solid kind of way. You knew if Dick was on your team he wasn't going to quit."

Gonzales predicted Miranda would "set about restoring . . . confidence the public might have lost in the department."

"He's just an outstanding individual - one of these men-of-character kind of guys," said attorney Paul Tang, a fellow Sunnyside High School alumnus. "I think at first blush to some, he appears somewhat reserved and quiet, but once you get to know him more he says what he needs to say.

"If the council picks him, that would be outstanding."

RICHARD MIRANDA

* Age: 46.

* Years with the department: 23.

* Promoted to assistant chief: 1992.

* Tucson native.

* Family: Wife Maria; three children, ages 7, 12 and 15.

* Education: Sunnyside High School, 1970; bachelor's degree in public management, University of Arizona, 1974; master's degree in educational leadership, Northern Arizona University, 1997.

* Police honors: Distinguished Medal of Merit, 1997; Distinguished Medal of Service, 1991.

* Community service includes: Former board member, United Way; vice-chair, Chicanos Por La Causa; former chairman, Minority Leadership Development Program; board member and among the founders of the Sunnyside Unified School District Foundation.     

The Tucson City Council unanimously voted yesterday for Richard Miranda to become Tucson's new police chief.

Miranda, 46, will be sworn in this morning.

"I want to thank you for your support, and it's time to go to work," said Miranda, after receiving a standing ovation at yesterday's council meeting.

The 23-year Tucson Police Department veteran succeeds former chief Douglas Smith, who left to become director of the Tucson center of a federally funded drug task force.

Miranda's base salary will be $99,300 with an additional $9,930 in annual longevity pay, City Manager Luis Gutierrez said. Smith earned $102,000 in base pay plus $7,500 a year in deferred compensation.

Miranda said he intends to waste no time. He has a 2 p.m. strategy meeting scheduled today with his top commanders. "We'll talk about team building and enforcement strategies," said Miranda, an assistant police chief since 1992.

The council's endorsement of Gutierrez's choice of Miranda came as no surprise. Six of the seven members said last week that they would support Miranda.

Councilman Jerry Anderson earlier said he was unsure how he would vote. He said the first stage of the chief search should have been opened to more candidates. Gutierrez limited it to Tucson's four assistant police chiefs.

The councilman said he talked Friday with Miranda and was impressed. "He had some excellent responses to questions I had."

Raul Miranda was momentarily speechless after he watched the swearing-in of his son as Tucson's police chief yesterday morning.

"I thought, to me, sergeant would have been very good," Miranda said, warmly shaking the hand of a stranger after the ceremony.

More than 300 people - a mixture of family, officers and longtime friends - filled a Tucson Convention Center conference room to watch Richard Miranda assume command of the state's second-largest metropolitan police force.

The 46-year-old Tucson native reaffirmed his allegiance to rank-and-file officers as he spoke in English and Spanish about building partnerships within the community to solve problems.

"I must follow them, because I am their leader," Miranda said, quoting Andrew Law, a former British prime minister.

He received a standing ovation within moments after his wife, Maria, pinned on his new badge.

Miranda called his swearing-in an opportunity to forge a new beginning for the department, and urged officers to not let outsiders distract them with criticism and mistrust.

Observers contrasted Miranda's large and diverse turnout with the smaller collection of officers who crowded into the Tucson police headquarters lobby four years ago when outsider Douglas Smith was sworn in as chief. Smith resigned to be director of the Tucson center of a federally funded drug task force.

"It's a great day for Tucson. It's a great day for the future of this community," said City Manager Luis Gutierrez, who selected Miranda after limiting the application process to the department's four assistant chiefs.

Miranda and Assistant Chiefs Robert Lehner and Collier Hill were competitive candidates, Gutierrez said, but "at the end of the process there was one person who stood out amongst all, and that person was Richard Miranda."

On Monday the City Council voted unanimously to endorse Gutierrez's selection, although Councilman Jerry Anderson had said last week that the first stage of the chief search should have been opened to more candidates.

"I'm extremely appreciative of everyone who's come here today," Miranda said before the ceremony started. "It's totally amazing the amount of support I've received," Miranda said, referring to the cards, letters and prayers he received in the mail, in addition to the telephone calls and greetings from people who stopped him on the street.

"I think he's going to be a great chief. I think he's got a lot of goals," said Cecilia Garcia, a health clerk at Davis Elementary School, where Miranda's wife teaches. "He's very quiet, but he's really a nice, nice man."

Miranda, who called it a "totally family effort to get to this position," watched his oldest daughter, Sarah, 15, start the ceremony with the Pledge of Allegiance.

She later acknowledged being nervous - "My grandmother told me to practice, because she told me she was afraid I'd forget it." The event was emotional, she said. "It's something he's been wanting for a really long time."

Richard Miranda, whose mother's side of the family has been in Tucson since the early part of the century and is known for numerous restaurants, invited officers to a catered luncheon at police headquarters after the ceremony.

He then held a 2 p.m. strategy meeting with his top commanders. "We have a hard job ahead of us," he said.

"I think he will pick up where Chief Smith left off and bring the Tucson Police Department to the forefront of the community," Tucson Fire Chief Fred Shipman said. He described Miranda as innovative and thoughtful.

Alicia Borquez, 70, praised Miranda's speech as meaningful and full of assurance. "Everybody was very happy and very responsive," said Borquez, a longtime family friend who described the swearing-in as "exuberant and beyond great."

Oro Valley Police Chief Werner Wolff, a retired Tucson police sergeant, called Miranda an excellent selection as he sipped punch. "I think the rank and file agree with that choice. I've never seen any participation in the swearing-in ceremony like I've seen today," he said.

Miranda will be paid a $99,300 base salary with an additional $9,930 in annual longevity pay.

       Among the bumps encountered by Tucson Police Chief Richard Miranda during his first year in office was a triple homicide at an eastside Pizza Hut in January.

The apparently random violence left a Pizza Hut manager and two of his employees dead. The two suspects are young Tucson males.

"Tucson is an outstanding city, and for something to occur like that on my watch, I took it personally," Miranda said. "It really bothered me for a long time."

Other events during Miranda's first year:

* Although it didn't happen in Tucson, the April 20, 1999, shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Colorado had a direct effect on law enforcement here.

Miranda and his employees spent several weeks after the incident talking at forums and local schools. Tucson police also faced an onslaught of "copycat" juveniles making similar threats to injure students here.

* Two serious incidents in August - including one death - following Tucson police officers' use of pepper spray led Miranda to ban the substance.

The ban was lifted earlier this month after autopsy results on 28-year-old Tyrone Johnson concluded that pepper spray did not directly cause his death.

* Four fatal shootings by law enforcement within one week put local police under public scrutiny. One of the four shootings - the death of 19-year-old Justin Johnson - involved the Tucson Police Department. The officers involved were cleared of wrongdoing.

* In September, as part of an effort to crack down on accidents and beef up its traffic patrol, the department launched a program targeting drivers who run red lights.

* Top-level police officials earlier this month came under scrutiny amid news from the police union that the state Attorney General's Office is investigating possible bid-rigging involving the department's choice of in-house mental health providers.     

Tucson Police Chief Richard Miranda has emerged virtually unscathed after six months of criticism over his department’s handling of the North Fourth Avenue riot.

Miranda, who was sworn in as chief three years ago Saturday, enjoys wide support from his bosses on the City Council, community groups and the nearly 1,000 officers under his command.

The soft-spoken Tucson native also has weathered a storm of controversy over a series of other recent embarrassments: a longtime homicide detective was indicted for perjury, another detective used his departmentcomputer to keep track of his estranged wife before killing her friend and then himself, and the FBI is investigating the loss of $600,000 from MANTIS, a multi-agency narcotics task force administered by the Tucson Police Department.

But the biggest challenge for Miranda and the department was overcoming intense criticism about its April 2 riot response, during which nearly 500 rounds of less-lethal munitions were fired at citizens, prompting more than a dozen to file formal complaints alleging excessive force.

“The department needs to take a lot of credit for how we came through that situation,” Miranda said during an interview Friday morning. “I told them that if we handled ourselves in a professional manner then the support from the public would be there in the end.’’

Miranda said he survived the riot aftermath largely because of his deep ties to the city.

“Iwas raised here, I went to high school and college here, and I’ve been a police officer for almost 27 years,’’ he said. “There are people in Tucson who have literally known me since the day I was born.’’

The chief said that because of his personal connection to Tucsonans in all walks of life, he was confident that he wouldn’t be judged based on 10-second sound bites on television news or harsh comments in the newspapers.

Oro Valley Police Chief Danny Sharp worked with Miranda at TPD for several years.

“As a police chief, you recognize that your decisions will be scrutinized," he said. “It’s important that the public understand your thought process, and if your decisions are consistent with your own values, and with the Constitution, they will generally support you.’’

Sharp and other observers credit Miranda for his quiet, deliberate approach to decision-making.

“He’s a nice guy, very likable and approachable,’’ Sharp said. “He tends to put people at ease because of his laid-back nature. He doesn’t like to rush things.’’

Sharp agreed with Liana Perez, the city’s independent police auditor, that the chief’s open review process was the key reason why Miranda came through the riot criticism with barely a scratch. The department also released after-action reports and its own board of inquiry’s final report, a commitment to openness that surprised police observers in other cities, she said.

“The chief knows how important it is to listen to the community,’’ Perez said. “If he would have taken a different approach, and not listened to the community, that would have hurt credibility and support.’’

Miranda appointed 12 people to serve as a riot-review panel, and initially he wanted them to meet behind closed doors.

“At first, I had envisioned people on the second floor, rolling up their sleeves and going to work and I couldn’t see television cameras in there,’’ Miranda said. “But I have to give the media credit because they were very critical of that decision and they were right. The criticism benefited the department.’’

Miranda, a 1970 graduate of Sunnyside High School and the city’s first Hispanic police chief, said he has learned a great deal during his three years at the helm.

“I’ve grown into the job, and Ifeel confident that my decision-making is solid and that my team is really together. We’ve been able to achieve some of the goals that we set for ourselves,’’ he said.

One of his first goals was to gain certification from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, or CALEA.

“To meet the national standards as set by CALEA was a goal I set three years ago, and it was difficult. But because it was difficult, it makes it more rewarding,’’ he said.

Miranda expects the department to be officially accredited next month.

Those who worked with Miranda over the years invariably describe him as a good listener who never loses his temper or makes hasty decisions.

His calm demeanor is a marked departure from the management style of his predecessor, Doug Smith, whose brusque manner alienated some officers and community leaders. Smith, who came to Tucson from Ann Arbor, Mich., also failed to overcome criticism over his handling of a drunken-driving investigation involving one of his commanders.

But former Chief Elaine Hedtke holds the recent record for inspiring discontent among the ranks. She resigned under pressure in 1993 after only 20 months as Tucson’s first female chief. Before Hedtke, Peter Ronstadt was chief for 10 years.

Miranda said he’s not likely to match Ronstadt’s longevity.

“I think chiefs have to measure their years in dog years,’’ he said. “The amount of hours you put in is just incredible, and so is the amount of time that the job is on your mind, which is all the time. I don’t see me being here for 10 years. I think that would be physically impossible for me.’’

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IN LAST SIX MONTHS

April 2. Tucson police fire nearly 500 rounds of less-lethal munitions after rioting erupts on North Fourth Avenue.

Citizens have filed more than $7 million in claims against the city.

June 12. Homicide Detective Joe Godoy pleads not guilty to nine counts of perjury in connection with two murder trials. Godoy resigned before his indictment.

June 25. Sgt. Jeffrey Wheeler is fired by Miranda after he fired three shots in the direction of two suspects, then claimed that he forgot doing so.

July 29. Detective Kenneth Dillard, assigned to MANTIS, a multi-agency narcotics task force administered by the Tucson Police Department, fatally shoots his estranged wife’s friend and then kills himself at an apartment near North Campbell Avenue and East River Road.

August 16. Authorities confirm that $600,000 in seized drug money is missing from MANTIS coffers. The FBI investigation reportedly centers on a retired Tucson police detective.

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Contact M. Scot Skinner at 629-9412 or skinner@azstarnet.com.

Miranda will be assistant to Mike Hein

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After nearly 10 years at the helm, Tucson Police Chief Richard Miranda will step down to become an assistant city manager effective July 1, city officials said Wednesday.

Miranda will replace Assistant City Manager Liz Miller, who announced last week she will retire at the end of March after nearly 30 years with the city.

Deputy Chief Kermit Miller (no relation to Liz Miller) will be named interim chief until a new chief is selected.

City Manager Mike Hein said he will probably recommend a national search for Miranda's permanent replacement, but added he will work with both the City Council and the community to create a process to find Miranda's replacement.

Miranda's appointment as police chief was approved by the City Council in October 1998. He joined the force in 1975 and has held multiple positions within the department, including assistant chief, captain, sergeant and police officer.

"Mike (Hein) offered me the job, I think it's a great opportunity and I'm going to go ahead and take it," Miranda said Wednesday, adding Hein first offered him the job on Monday.

Miranda, 55, said it was a difficult decision that was made easier by the fact he is mandated by the state to retire in 22 months because of a state retirement program he is enrolled in.

His mind was also put at ease because as assistant city manager he will oversee the Police and Fire departments as part of his duties, Miranda said. In his retirement letter sent out to TPD employees Wednesday, Miranda cited that oversight as one of the "foundations" of his move to the city manager's office.

"It all lined up right for me," he said. "I can continue working for the city as long as I want. To be able to work for the city was real attractive to me."

Born and raised in Tucson, Miranda graduated from Sunnyside High School and the University of Arizona. He said he plans to spend the rest of his days in Tucson.

"It's home, and it's just a wonderful place," he said.

Miranda will become Tucson's highest-ranking Hispanic city employee, replacing Assistant City Manager Miller, who previously held that distinction.

He will oversee the Police and Fire departments, City Court, the city Public Defender's Office, the independent police auditor, Parks and Recreation, the Community Services Department and the neighborhood services department.

Those departments had been Miller's responsibility for many years, until October, when she was reassigned to be in charge of only the Parks and Recreation and the neighborhood and community services departments. Human Resources Director Cindy Bezaury said the decision to shift Miller's duties was made by Hein.

Having Miranda in the manager's office is a plus for both Miranda and the city, Hein said.

"I think it will be good for the city and good for his personal advancement," Hein said.

Miranda's annual salary as police chief is $178,235, plus another $17,823 in longevity pay, which goes to city employees who were hired before May 1, 1977.

His new job involves taking a pay cut to $158,995, which is the same salary Miller received. His longevity pay also will drop, to $15,900.

Kermit Miller, 60, will get a 5 percent raise on his $138,216 annual salary for his promotion to acting chief, Bezaury said, which is city policy for promotions. That will give Miller an extra $6,910 a year.

"He is assuming a tremendous amount of responsibility and he will receive an appropriate pay raise," Bezaury said.

Miller is traveling out of the country and couldn't be reached for comment. He's a 35-year veteran of the force who was promoted to deputy chief in 2005.

He served as assistant police chief from 2000 to 2005. He began his career with the TPD in 1972 and after assignments in patrol, special investigations, SWAT and tactical operations, he was promoted to sergeant in 1979, according to TPD.

But Miller won't be more than the acting chief, Bezaury said, because he is enrolled in the same state retirement program as Miranda, which will mandate his retirement in 2009 - meaning he will serve only through the transition until a new chief is brought on.

Hein said he will work with the council and the community to define the parameters of the search for a new chief, which he said will probably include looking nationally.

Three council members interviewed for this story hailed the move and said they were open to discussing the terms of a search for Miranda's replacement.

Councilwoman Shirley Scott said Miranda is an asset to the community, and that she's "glad he's staying on."

"We certainly needed someone with experience," Scott said. "There's no question the police chief has that experience."

Councilwoman Nina Trasoff said "we all win" with Miranda's appointment, adding she hadn't yet thought of how to search for his replacement. However, she said Miller was a great selection as acting chief.

The city needs to search both internally and externally for a new chief, said Councilman Rodney Glassman, who called Miranda a community leader.

"I was very pleased when I heard he was continuing on in a role with the city," Glassman said.

* Contact reporter Rob O'Dell at 573-4240 or rodell@azstarnet.com.

Outgoing chief Richard Miranda says he's proud he was able to nurture a new generation of police leaders, but regrets he could do little to turn back a "tidal wave" of drug crimes in Tucson.

But his bottom line, after nearly a decade of serving as police chief, is that he does not feel this is a dangerous city to live in.

"I've lived here all my life, and there isn't a part of town that I feel is a dangerous part of town," he said.

On June 6, Miranda will retire from the police department he has been a part of for the last 33 years to become the city's assistant city manager.

Sitting in his sparsely furnished office at police headquarters - all Miranda's belongings have already made their way to his new office - Miranda reflected on his career.

"Change was necessary, not only for the department, but for me also," he said.

"I think all of us who are public figures or are in charge of public entities have shelf lives in all our positions that if we don't look beyond and look in terms of how we can make our lives and our organizations better, that both can become stagnant."

As assistant city manager, Miranda will oversee the Police and Fire departments, Parks and Recreation, courts, the Prosecutor's Office, the Public Defender's Office, community resources and neighborhood resources.

Miranda, who has been chief since 1998, answered some questions from the Star last week:

Q: In the 10 years you've been chief, what do you feel is your proudest accomplishment?

A: I think the greatest satisfaction I feel today is walking through the organization and seeing people who came in at entry-level positions and who are now in leadership positions, whether they are officers who are now assistant chiefs or records clerks who are running divisions.

Q: Is there anything you haven't been able to accomplish as chief that you wanted to accomplish?

A: We have made a very little dent in terms of turning back the use and sale of drugs.

In fact, I feel this tidal wave of activity coming on with illicit drugs, and I'm very frustrated by that - that we haven't really put a big dent in terms of drug sales and use.

And with that, we've seen many lives destroyed and lost, and I think that we need to look at different strategies in terms of the war on drugs and set some new goals for ourselves, because it has been very frustrating in terms of the growth of this problem.

Q: What has the department done to combat the drug problem?

A: Well, we've done a lot of work in terms of enforcement. The strategy we used here at TPD was to attack the street-level narcotics problem so that we can make our parks safe and we can make our streets safe and not be harassed by people selling drugs on the corner.

Q: Do you think Tucson is a dangerous or crime-ridden city?

A: No, I don't. I've lived here all my life, and there isn't a part of town that I feel is a dangerous part of town. Yes, there are stresses in certain areas, and we as a community have to address those stresses.

A lot of the issues we face in terms of violent crime are what we call lifestyle issues, whether you join a gang or are using drugs.

That's why the prevention efforts and educational efforts, especially with the kids, are important to me. But I think Tucson is a very safe community.

It's safe because the community itself and the Police Department have worked together to make it a great place to live.

Q: Do you feel there are a lot of bad officers in the Tucson Police Department or that there have been bad officers comparable to other cities of similar size?

A: I think we have a quality Police Department in terms of personnel, and we've gone to great lengths to make sure the people coming in the door are of the highest integrity and character. But that doesn't mean to say that we're not going to have our personnel issues like other police departments.

Recently, when we had the officers shot and stabbed on Prince Road, I had a citizen come up to me and comment to me how professionally the officers handled themselves with the suspect after he had been captured.

This person said to me, "This is so much different from what I saw on the news that occurred in Philadelphia."

Even though that situation was tense and officers were concerned about their fellow officers possibly getting killed, they put that aside, and their ethics and their training provided a situation where the suspect was handled with the utmost professionalism.

Q: What has been the lowest point in your career?

A: A police chief feels very responsible for the officers who are working on the street, and the responsibility includes developing policies and training and rules in order to keep police officers safe.

And after Patrick Hardesty was killed, it was a very difficult time for me, because I felt so responsible for that in terms of what policies we had in place, what procedures we had in place, did we do everything we could to try and avoid that situation.

And having that moment with Patrick, because when I walked into the emergency room, I was alone with him for a while.

And I look back in the last 10 years, I think that 15 to 20 minutes I was with him, after he had died, by ourselves, stands out as a moment that I'll never forget, because I just felt so responsible.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Police Department's budget? Do you feel it's enough or do you feel it's causing officers to be spread too thin?

A: I've never hesitated to say that we need more resources. I think there was a period in time in the '70s and maybe in the early '80s that a lot of those infrastructure issues respective to public safety weren't addressed, and now we're playing catch-up in terms of getting people and resources on board.

We did a lot of annexation. There's been a lot of infill and with that, when coupled with the future growth, I think we have to have resources in place to deal with the past and the present and the future.

But we're in tough economic times - and I'll switch hats as assistant city manager - and the budget deficits are real.

The problems we're facing in terms of money are definite. We're in a contingency mode right now throughout the city, so my feelings are this is short-term. ... We're going to have to put together some long-term strategies to work on those infrastructure that weren't dealt with in the past.

Q: The police union has voiced concerns about low wages and too few officers; what do you plan to do about that as assistant city manager?

A: I think we're going to have to sit down and look at some long-term solutions in terms of how we're going to fund public safety. There are different alternatives out there that we would like to take a look at, because public safety is paramount in terms of what government is responsible for.

So I think in the next few months we need to look at different alternatives to enhance funding for public safety.

Q: As assistant city manager, how much involvement will you have in the selection of the new police chief?

A: I'm not sure right now. We're in the process of developing a process, but the city manager, Mike Hein, has told me that he wants me directly involved in the selection to include doing the background on the individuals myself. So I take that direction as I'm going to be very involved in the process.

Q: What kind of qualities are you looking for in a new chief?

A: I think that you have a number of individuals locally and nationally who can understand and work the bureaucracies of running a big-city police department, because we are a big-city police department.

What I'm going to be looking for, myself personally, is a commitment to the community, because without that commitment, without that dedication to resolving problems for our citizens, you won't be worth a cent as police chief.

You have to get out amongst the people; you have to be out there talking to them and understanding their issues and being able to communicate back to your department what the goals are, what the expectations are from the citizens we serve.

Q: What kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind from your career as police chief?

A: Wow, I think I really just want to be remembered as a cop. I was police chief for 10 years, but I think that at my eulogy I'd like someone to say, "He was just a hardworking cop," and leave it at that.

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THEN AND NOW

Numbers from Miranda's career as police chief:

Tucson population

1998 468,520

2008 554,164

Employees (commissioned officers and civilians)

1998 881

2008 1,112

Operating budget

1998 $81,331,800

2008 $170,666,650

Sources: Tucson police, city of Tucson records

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THE SEARCH FOR THE NEW CHIEF

Police Chief Richard Miranda said the city hopes to name a new chief by next May, but the search has not begun yet.

Deputy Chief Kermit Miller has been named interim chief. He is required to retire next year, so he will serve only through the transition period.

Miller began working for TPD in 1972. He served as assistant police chief for five years until he was promoted to deputy chief in 2005.

BY THE NUMBERS

Number of officers killed in line of duty:

1

Number of employee terminations (officers and civilians):

25*

Number of employee resignations or retirements in lieu of termination (officers and civilians):

12*

* The Tucson Police Department purges personnel files every five years, so numbers go back only through 2003.

Sources: Tucson police, city of Tucson records.

CHIEF RICHARD MIRANDA

1970: Graduated from Sunnyside High School.

1974: Earned a bachelor of science degree in public management from the University of Arizona.

1975: Became a Tucson police officer.

1982: Promoted to sergeant.

1986: Promoted to lieutenant.

1991: Promoted to captain.

1992: Miranda was encouraged to apply for the top position when Chief Peter Ronstadt retired. He emerged as one of the final four candidates; the job was given to Elaine Hedtke, who promoted Miranda to assistant chief.

1998: Miranda is named the chief of police.

DID YOU KNOW

Patrick Hardesty, shot to death five years ago tomorrow - on May 26, 2003 - was the first Tucson police officer killed in the line of duty in 21 years, a tragedy that outgoing Police Chief Richard Miranda remembers as the lowest point of his career.

Last month, the state Supreme Court upheld the conviction and death sentence of Hardesty's killer, John Montenegro Cruz.

Cruz shot 40-year-old Hardesty to death when the officer chased him on foot while investigating a Midtown hit-and-run accident in which Cruz was the suspected driver.

Source: Star archives

* Contact reporter Alexis Huicochea at 629-9412 or at ahuicochea@azstarnet.com.

Spending is needed, he says, even with tight city budget

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A week after transferring two top aides to work for a private organization at taxpayer expense, City Manager Mike Letcher announced Wednesday he hired a new assistant manager for $143,000 and promoted three others to fill the void in his office.

The promotions of Assistant City Manager Richard Miranda, Interim Budget Director Marie Nemerguth and Agenda Coordinator Christina Parisi came with raises totaling $34,000 - the cost of the July Fourth fireworks celebration city officials said last week they couldn't afford until private donors stepped up.

Most city employees will get no raises this year because of the tight budget. All but the most essential workers will make less because they will be required to take five mandatory unpaid furlough days.

Letcher selected a new assistant city manager without a formal hiring process, tapping Sean McBride, whom Letcher said he has known since McBride was in graduate school and Letcher worked as a city manager in Vermont.

Like Letcher, McBride comes to Tucson from a much smaller community. Letcher was hired away from Sedona. McBride is an assistant city manager in Portage, Mich., population 45,000. He starts work in Tucson on Oct. 5.

The moves come less than a week after two of former City Manager Mike Hein's top deputies were dispatched to jobs with the Downtown Tucson Partnership, with city taxpayers continuing to pay their combined salaries of nearly $200,000 a year.

Last week, Letcher announced that Hein's assistants Jaret Barr and Fran LaSala would be reassigned despite the fact that LaSala's duties have not been determined.

Letcher himself will get a raise for going from interim to permanent city manager, which will be announced today.

The new hire and promotions are needed, Letcher said, because Tucson needs people to run the city even with the tight budget situation.

Letcher noted his office will still come in under budget because of previous decisions to cut Rio Nuevo Director Greg Shelko and a position in the city's lobbying department, and not to replace Nemerguth - who had been an assistant to the city manager - now that she has the new position of budget and internal audit program director.

Letcher said the new position does not have department-head status. The city eliminated the budget-director position last year when it merged the budget and the finance departments to save money.

He also said the three people promoted will make less money than the previous employees in those positions.

In addition to hiring a new assistant city manager, Letcher:

* Promoted Miranda to deputy city manager, raising his salary $8,000 to $167,000. Letcher previously made $178,000 in that position.

* Named Nemerguth the budget and internal audit director, raising her salary $23,000 to $120,000. Former Budget Director Jim Cameron made $121,000 in that position, Letcher said.

* Promoted Agenda Coordinator Parisi to an assistant to the city manager, raising her salary $3,000 to $71,000. Letcher said Nemerguth made $97,000 in that position.

Letcher said he has known McBride since the mid-1990s, when McBride was in graduate school and Letcher was a city manager in Vermont.

Letcher said McBride will be a "very valuable asset for the city. ... I think he's ready."

The City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday to raise taxes 2 percent on home phone bills, cell-phone bills, electric bills and gas bills. Tucson Water bills will go up 10 percent, city garbage-pickup fees will increase 3.5 percent, and bus fares will be increased as well. The new budget goes into effect July 1.

Mayor Bob Walkup and Councilwoman Regina Romero said they were fine with Letcher's decision.

Walkup said the loss of Barr puts Letcher's office below the staffing level it needs. When told it was Letcher's decision to transfer Barr, Walkup said he was fine with the whole situation.

Walkup said sending Barr to work for the Downtown Tucson Partnership "was a wise move, but it leaves him with a shortage on the 10th floor."

Walkup said the partnership will gradually assume Barr's and LaSala's salaries - the first time anyone has suggested that was part of the deal, and even though the partnership is chronically short of funding.

Romero said she's OK with Letcher's moves because Letcher needs the ability to build a team, and his team is still smaller than Hein's.

She said the raises and new hire, on the heels of having to raise taxes to balance the budget, are appropriate because it is important "for residents to know the city of Tucson is being run as responsibly as possible."

Patti Wheatley, the owner of Curves Gym on North Campbell Avenue, which will be hit with a new 2 percent tax, disagrees. She said the move makes her question whether city government is looking out for the interests of its citizens or if "it is a more self-serving government we have."

Jenelle Ehrlich, owner of the Kist by Mist tanning salon on East Speedway, said the city seems intent on hurting businesses.

"The city is steadily drowning what business owners are left," Ehrlich said. "It seems the city is finding ways to benefit themselves."

Contact reporter Rob O'Dell at 573-4346 or rodell@azstarnet.com.

Council to set up guidelines for selection on Tuesday

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The City Council is expected to set the parameters for finding a permanent city manager Tuesday.

Less than a week after unanimously firing City Manager Mike Letcher following a series of management failures at City Hall, the council will discuss how to find his replacement.

The majority of the council seems to favor a national search, but it's unlikely it will be done before a new council is seated after the November elections.

"The new council should have voting rights" to hire a new manager, said Councilwoman Shirley Scott. "We want to make sure we have a new council make the final decision."

Scott, who requested the discussion, said she wants to see an outline of the potential recruitment process for the new manager - the costs, whether it will be a state or national search, and the timeline.

The city could start the recruitment process and have the new council members make the final decision after they come into office in December, she said.

Councilman Paul Cunningham said he felt the council should set the parameters of a new search and "get everything in place" but leave the search to the next council.

"The actual process shouldn't start until the next council is seated," he said. "Tucson is a top-notch city, and we deserve a top-notch manager."

Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, in her weekly email to constituents, said she favored a national search.

"Next week we will begin the discussion on a national search to recruit the best talent for the position," she said. "The new mayor and City Council can then make the hiring decision together."

Councilwoman Regina Romero did not return phone calls for comment.

Richard Miranda, the deputy manager who is now the acting manager, will likely be named the interim city manager on Tuesday, Cunningham said.

Councilman Steve Kozachik said he supports the move, noting he had been police chief for many years before being in the manager's office.

"I haven't seen anyone that would logically rise above him," Kozachik said. "To me, he is the logical choice as the place-holder."

The city should immediately go out for a national search for a new manager, he said, and Miranda could be part of that process. The final decision on the new manager can be made after the new council begins serving, he added.

The job will be in demand, Kozachik said.

"It pays well, there's great benefits, Tucson's a great community, and they'll have the opportunity to right the ship," he said.

The council doesn't have to formally name Miranda interim manager for him to take on the duties of a city manager, City Attorney Mike Rankin said. That's because the city charter calls for the deputy city manager to serve as the city manager if there isn't a manager in place, Rankin said.

The council has three relatively simple short-term options, he said. They are: name Miranda interim manager; name another city employee interim manager; or choose to let Miranda continue to be the acting manager.

"If they take no action, he can continue to serve," Rankin said.

If the council was to name someone outside the city as interim manager, it would have to be done with a contract, Rankin said.

Miranda said he didn't know what the council's plans are and will wait for the council to take action.

Tucson finally has a permanent city manager.

The City Council voted unanimously to appoint Richard Miranda, who has held the position on an interim basis since September.

The council approved a contract that will pay Miranda $200,000, said City Attorney Mike Rankin. Former City Manager Mike Letcher made $211,806, Rankin said. Before Letcher, the previous city manager, Mike Hein, was paid $212,621, Rankin said.

Miranda took over as interim manager after Letcher was fired, but council members said they wanted to do a national search so they could find the best person for the job.

In the end, council members determined Miranda fit that description.

"I trust that you love Tucson and will do what is ethical and best for not only mayor and council, but most importantly, for the residents of our community," Councilwoman Regina Romero said during Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Miranda said after his initial appointment that his goals included plans to enhance core services such as public safety, parks and recreation, and transit services.

He reiterated those points at Tuesday's meeting.

"I see my job now as providing an environment of leadership, an environment of trust and competency," he said. "We will continue to provide quality services to our great city."

Miranda has been a city employee since becoming a police officer in 1975, rising to become police chief in 1998. He retired from that position and was appointed as assistant city manager in 2008.

Street paving plans

The City Council approved a measure to spend $20 million for street paving in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins in July.

The city would use about $16 million from Highway Revenue User Funds.

Council members instructed the city manager to find the additional $4 million for the work from other city funding sources.

The council also instructed the manager to look into general obligation bonds as a long-term solution for road problems. Over the past few years of city budget cuts, streets have suffered from reduced maintenance, and many have fallen into significant disrepair.

The council wants the manager to research how much bonds would cost over time and how it would increase taxes.

Pay raises approved

The City Council approved a 1 percent pay increase for all city employees for the first time in five years. The increase would take effect July 1.

The council voted 5-2 to approve the raises.

Council members Paul Cunningham and Steve Kozachik voted against the measure.

Cunnningham said the raises would not do much to help lower-income city employees.

"I wanted something better for lower-wage workers," he said. "We're kind of taking the easy, lazy way out."

Cunningham proposed a measure that would give a 2.5 percent increase to those who contribute a higher percentage of their income to their pension, he said.

Contact reporter Jamar Younger at jyounger@azstarnet.com or 573-4115.