City welcomes new police chief with open arms
Craig promises to work with community to keep city safe
James Craig, sworn in Friday as Portland's 18th police chief, stressed the importance of community policing and promised to build relationships with the city's diverse ethnic groups to keep the city safe.
"As we move forward, I will look to every community member for support and assisting us in making a difference in every Portland neighborhood," Craig said in front of a packed house at City Hall that included city councilors, staff, Portland police and family members from Georgia, Michigan and California.
Craig, 52, rose to Captain III of the Los Angeles Police Department during a 28-year career that included stints in drug units, anti-gang squads and community policing efforts in some of that city's most dangerous neighborhoods.
In his remarks Friday, Craig outlined his community policing philosophy, which relies on partnerships with existing social and religious institutions to prevent crimes, not just solve them.
"I will look to our professional organizations, local religious institutions, schools and elected officials in working with our youth..." he said. "We will use this opportunity to create an environment for our youth of inclusion, safety, mutual respect and provide timely intervention when necessary."
Craig takes over a department dealing with labor strife and an uncertain budget that could result in layoffs for the second year in a row. Meanwhile, his arrival comes less than a week after officers shot dead a 26-year-old Sudanese man who allegedly pulled a gun as they approached, underscoring tensions between police and the city's Sudanese population.
Those simmering issues, Craig said, present an opportunity to forge strong relationships right from the start. "It's a tragic situation anytime there is a loss of life, of course that's a tragedy, but it's also now an opportunity now for us to build bridges."
Craig plans to meet with the Sudanese leadership and possibly hold a community forum in the next week or so to discuss the incident. With regard to the ongoing labor issues, he said he has been tracking the situation closely and has spoken with police union leaders.
In February, when Craig was chosen by City Manager Joe Gray as the city's next chief from a pool of more than 80 applicants, Gray said Craig's background in community policing stood out. On Friday, Gray reiterated his confidence that Craig was the right man for the job.
"James' wealth of experience and expertise, and perhaps most importantly his deeply-held commitment to community and policing, will serve Portland well," Gray said, adding that he knew right away upon meeting Craig in January that he had what it takes to lead the department.
Mayor Jill Duson, who like several others joked about the differences in climate between Southern California and Southern Maine, called Craig a "new voice" for the department.
"Your views will be heard and valued not only by the police department but by our city as a whole," she said.
Joe Loughlin, who served as interim police chief for more than eight months and will serve as deputy chief for several more months to aid the transition, was commended by Duson and Gray for his leadership. Both said Loughlin stepped in seamlessly and served admirably after Burton's departure.
Craig's 31-year law enforcement background began in his native Detroit. He joined the L.A.P.D. in 1981 as a patrolman. As captain and commanding officer of the city's Southwest District, Craig oversaw roughly 400 officers and civilian staff. In Portland, he will lead 160 sworn officers and 53 civilian staff.
Toward the beginning of his speech, Craig momentarily choked up after thinking of his best friend Randy Simmons, an L.A.P.D. SWAT officer killed in the line of duty in 2008. Afterward, Craig said he became overwhelmed upon reflecting on his friend and how he was leaving a department he loved and starting a new chapter in Portland.
