Modesto names its next police chief after nationwide recruitment
Modesto City Manager Joe Lopez announced Tuesday that Assistant Chief Brandon Gillespie is the city’s next police chief.
Gillespie has served his entire 20 years in law enforcement with the Modesto Police Department, including roughly the last eight months as interim police chief.
His selection comes after the city and its executive search consultant conducted a nationwide recruitment that resulted in 14 applicants, which was narrowed to four candidates and then two finalists. Gillespie will lead a department with a budget of $72.4 million and which is allocated 298 employees, with about two-thirds of them sworn officers.
“Of all the outstanding candidates that applied for this position, Brandon’s qualities and skills best align with what our community needs right now,” Lopez said at Tuesday evening’s City Council meeting. “Throughout his long history serving Modesto, Brandon has shown himself to be a leader with integrity and compassion and who does not shy away from making difficult decisions.”
Lopez said as interim police chief, Gillespie, 45, has embraced the most pressing needs in the community, including addressing the use of force, reducing racial disparities, addressing homelessness and reevaluating how mental health calls are handled.
Gillespie thanked Lopez and the City Council.
Deep roots in Modesto
“I couldn’t be more humbled and filled with gratitude (and honored) to serve as the next police chief of the city of Modesto,” he said. “I’ve been a citizen of this community for over 40 years and a police officer here for the last 20. I love this city. I’m raising my children here. I met my wife here.”
Gillespie praised the men and women of the Modesto Police Department, saying he could not be more proud of them. He also said he was excited with the challenge the Modesto department faces, the same challenge that police departments across the nation face.
“These are unprecedented times that we are in as a nation and in law enforcement,” he said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to lead and to be a model city for how we make things better. If I’ve learned anything in my 20 years of law enforcement, it comes down to relationships.”
Gillespie said he values the relationships Modesto and its Police Department have made throughout the community.
Modesto has launched the Forward Together initiative to look at how the Police Department can do a better job policing the city. The initiative includes a committee that will meet for six months to a year to look at potential reforms for the City Council to consider. The committee’s second meeting is Aug. 17 and is open to the public.
Some community members and groups have called for Modesto to hire an independent auditor and form a civilian review commission to provide additional oversight of the Police Department. They say it’s an effort to provide another perspective to improve policing.
Those calling for such reforms include Modesto resident Darlene Ruiz, whose 29-year-old son, Trevor Seever, was fatally shot by a Modesto police officer in December. The officer, Joseph Lamantia, was fired from his job and charged with voluntary manslaughter in March.
Mom hopes for ‘real changes’
Ruiz and her attorney have filed a wrongful death claim against the city in Seever’s death. Though Ruiz said she still is troubled with how Gillespie and the Police Department initially reported the shooting, including how they portrayed her son, she said Tuesday evening she was pleased with his selection.
“... I like Gillepsie,” Ruiz said in a text. “I am happy for him. I am hoping he is willing to do what he has said, and we can make some real changes.”
Mayor Sue Zwahlen and the other City Council members all praised Gillespie at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Gillespie had served as assistant chief since October 2019. The city has said Gillespie has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from San Diego State University and a master’s degree in leadership from Grand Canyon University. He started with the department as an officer and worked his way up through the ranks as a sergeant, lieutenant and captain.
He was named interim police chief in December with the retirement of Galen Carroll, who served as chief for nearly eight years.
This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
