The Chosen Six

The city of Spokane has chosen six semifinalists for the position of police chief. Included are one woman and five men, two of whom work in Eastern Washington. Here is a quick look at the six:

MIKE AUBREY

Undersheriff, Spokane County, Spokane

Resume: 48 years old … 25 years of law enforcement experience, all with Spokane County. Became undersheriff - the No. 2 spot in the department - in 1993 … Current responsibilities include supervising patrol, communications, crime analysis and community-oriented policing.

Academic background: Bachelor’s degree in sociology and master’s in public administration from Eastern Washington University … Graduate of FBI Academy and Northwest Law Enforcement Executive Command College.

Appointments: Chairman, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs organized crime committee. Member, Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and Spokane medical examiner’s task force.

ALAN CHERTOK

Commander, Administrative Command, Newport News, Va.

Resume: 45 years old … 23 years in law enforcement. Joined Newport News force in 1995 … Currently in charge of administering department’s $27.7 million budget and supervising records, communications and crime analysis, among other duties. Academic background: Bachelor’s degree with a dual major in psychology and sociology from Salisbury State College in Maryland. Master’s in criminal justice from University of Baltimore. Master’s in management and supervision from Central Michigan University. Fulbright Fellow in police studies at Staffordshire University in Stafford, England.

Special skills: Legislative liaison to Virginia General Assembly … certified pilot, scuba diver and crisis negotiator.

JOY CITTA

Captain, Northwest Center Team, Lincoln, Neb.

Resume: 46 years old … Developed promotional testing procedures, minority recruitment programs, multiagency conferences on gangs and DARE programs … Currently in charge of supervising police personnel working in city’s northwest quadrant.

Academic background: Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and master’s in administrative arts from Doane College in Crete, Neb.

Memberships and citations: Member, Hispanic Center board of directors; City of Lincoln Internal Liquor Committee and Cub Scout Pack 8 board of directors. Honors include Mayor’s Award of Excellence; International Association of Women Police Certificate of Merit; two Lincoln Police Department Lifesaving Awards and department’s Medal of Honor.

PAUL CONNER

Deputy Chief/Investigative Services Division, Las Vegas, Nev.

Resume: 50 years old … 26 years with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department … Has supervised detective bureau, Clark County Detention Center and human resources division … Currently in charge of department’s Investigative Support Division, with annual budget of $36 million.

Academic background: Bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s in public administration from University of Nevada-Las Vegas. … Graduate of FBI National Academy and Senior Management Institute for Police.

Special assignments: Chairman, department’s Use of Force Board … Supervises Neighborhood Narcotics Suppression Program, which responds to citizen complaints about drug dealers.

JOHN ROBERTSON

Former Chief of Orange, Calif., Yorba Linda, Calif.

Resume: Fired as Orange chief in March 1998 after serving since June 1992 … Implemented community-oriented policing, including bike patrol unit, truancy center and citizen volunteers … Assigned resource to schools and transformed gang intelligence squad into gang-suppression unit.

Academic background: Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California State University-Fullerton and master’s in public administration from California State University-Long Beach … Graudate, FBI National Academy.

Awards: Distinguished Community Service Award from YMCA; Volunteer of the Year from YWCA; Award of Recognition from Orange County Human Relations Commission.

STEVE TOMSON

Sheriff, Whitman County, Pullman

Resume: 23 years in law enforcement, 13 as a chief executive officer … Experience in employee relations, performance assessment, criminal investigation and procedure, and community-oriented policing.< Academic background: Bachelor’s degree in police science and administration from Washington State University. Some postgraduate work at WSU.

Appointments: Member, National Sheriffs Association board of directors. Past president, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs … Former chairman of committees creating Washington Law Enforcement Accreditation Standards and Washington State Institute for Community Oriented Policing.

Map: Candidates’ hometowns