Deputy Chief Cheryl Moody earned her role as interim chief, why doesn’t the city act like it?

By Martin A. Gordon – CEO of Pasadena Community Coalition

It’s a new year, and we have a new chief. Chief Moody is a 29-year officer of the force and has served as deputy chief under the direction of John Perez during his tenure. She has served with distinction. Prior to becoming deputy chief, she worked undercover narcotics, prostitution and even the gang unit. She also developed and headed the Community Service Division and worked child abuse cases. She was the first woman Sargent to complete SWAT training. 

There is no doubt that she is well-rounded. She has been a resident of Pasadena for the past five years wanting to “live the community policing mantra” by living in the Pasadena Community. She has two African American boys, now men who face the same issues as every young Black man in this country. And she too had to give them the talk about what to do when stopped by the police. 

What exactly is the rationale that makes it necessary to place Deputy Moody as chief for only four months and then have a former (White) male commander subordinate take over as chief and have her report to and be directed by him? 

When you say it out loud it wreaks of a double standard with racial, misogynistic and sexist overtones. Does being African American and a woman somehow change the dynamic for an unqualified appointment as interim chief? Please help us understand. 

The argument that having an in-house interim chief may deter some of the best candidates from applying for the job just does not hold water — give us a break. This is a flimsy and transparent excuse. Any candidate that is scared off by this is unworthy to be our chief. If he or she cannot handle that dynamic, they surely can’t handle the Pasadena Community and have no place here! 

Is the unspoken undertone that this Black woman Deputy Chief Moody is somehow not up to the job of interim chief? We the people and the city leadership will be able to evaluate her performance very quickly.

Deputy Chief Moody has earned the right to be interim chief till a new chief is appointed. She has the right to apply for the job, just as Chief John Perez was allowed to do. She can be replaced at any time if she proves not to be up to the job. She cannot be relegated to a second-class police officer in order to appease the good ole boys club and the old Pasadena Way.  

We have yet to hear a credible rationale for placing a retired male subordinate of the Deputy Chief as interim chief to replace her after four months. What? How does this make sense? The interim city manager estimates a new CM to be in place in six months so Commander Clawson would hold the position and supervise the Deputy Chief for two months (or more)? The Chief would return to her role as the Deputy Chief while her former subordinate becomes the top cop? 

How would the department’s policy/direction change under the new leadership? What is this management theory?  Management by happenstance? Is the city manager the real chief of police? Again, this makes no sense. Where’s the continuity? What message does this send to the rank and file and other officers who are paying their dues? 

Should Deputy Cheryl Moody become the next Chief of the Pasadena Police Dept.? I don’t believe we can yet answer that question. But she has earned the right to be our interim chief until a new chief is hired or there is a legitimate reason for her removal! This insistence on rotating the interim chiefs begs the question what are you afraid of? Or what are you not telling us? 

It’s extremely disconcerting that when the community supports a police officer the city opposes her but protects and endorses officers that wreak havoc on our communities. Go figure! What’s wrong with this picture.  

It is time for the mayor and city council to step up and do the right thing. Direct the city manager to make Deputy Moody the interim chief and then hold both of them accountable. Or is this just another symptom of the two Pasadenas, one for them and another for us! 

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