Review for the next chief

Newport will begin interviewing candidates for police chief in a few weeks, City Manager Dave Kiff said Friday.

The city has been without a permanent chief since last summer, when John Klein retired after two years in the position. Newport Beach hired Robert Luman, who has nearly 40 years’ experience in law enforcement, to lead the department through necessary changes.

Luman’s one-year term will end by July. He was paid $230,000.

In the first week of May, two members of the Civil Service Board and city managers from other cities who have experience in police chief recruiting will interview between eight and 12 candidates, Kiff said.

From there, the field will be narrowed to three, with Kiff making the final selection.

None of the Police Department’s three captains — the rank that immediately precedes chief — applied for the top position, Kiff said.

Kiff said he is looking for a candidate from a department at least as big as Newport Beach’s, and is familiar with issues distinct to affluent, coastal cities with an emphasis on business and tourism.

Candidates should also understand the expectations Newport Beach residents have of their officers, which, many say, are higher than in other cities.

Under Luman, the department has installed new promotional procedures and kept the department on track to follow various protocols that the city fell short in keeping up to date, police officials said.

Klein was pushed out as chief amid a city-funded investigation into how promotions are conducted in the department.

Some police alleged favoritism in promotions and demanded that Klein re-test for the chief’s position because his recruitment violated two city ordinances.