New chief of police named

Jose Paul Corona

City officials have chosen a man with experience running a

high-profile beach city police force to lead the 374-member

Huntington Beach Police Department.

Kenneth W. Small, chief of the of Daytona Beach Police Department

in Florida, will replace retiring Police Chief Ron Lowenberg, who is

retiring after 13 years of service. Small will take over on Oct. 14

upon final approval by the City Council.

Small, who was chosen from a field of 50 candidates from all over

the U.S., will get about $141,000 a year plus benefits to run the

fourth largest police department in Orange County -- an average

salary of a police chief in the county, said City Administrator Ray

Silver.

Before his six-year stint in Daytona Beach, a town that suffered a

wild party town reputation similar to the one Surf City police have

worked diligently to throw off here, Small was with the Los Angeles

Police Department.

Those experiences are part of what made Silver think that Small

would be a good fit with the Huntington Beach Police Department.

“He worked for the Los Angeles Police Department and had a very

good track record there,” Silver said. “Obviously from [working]

there he was aware of how things function in a large [police]

department.”

Small’s experience in running a popular beach city frequented by

tourists also made him a good choice, Silver added.

“That’s a very active beach community like we are,” he said. “He’s

done a great job there also.”

The Huntington Beach Police Department has an operating budget of

$40 million and watches over a city of 193,000 residents.

Silver recommended Small as the new police chief. Small, who is

now on vacation between jobs, will go before the City Council at its

next meeting on Sept. 3 when it is expected to approve his

appointment.