Police chief moving to City Hall

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.