City leaders keep interim chief

Newport Beach will keep interim police Chief Robert Luman on for another six months and give him a $10,000 pay raise to find and fix problems in the department.

“I think we have a unique opportunity with the chief given his experience to come in and do an assessment and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the department and he’s been doing that from the eyes from someone on the outside,� City Manager Dave Kiff told the City Council.

Luman has nearly 40 years in law enforcement. He became Long Beach’s police chief in 1996 and was interim chief in Riverside and Redondo Beach. He took over in Newport Beach on July 10 after his predecessor, John Klein, stepped down after two years at the helm. His new contract expires June 30.

Luman’s pay was increased from $110,000 to $120,000. It had nothing to do with having fewer holidays in the spring and summer as Kiff initially said at the Tuesday night’s council meeting, said city spokeswoman Tara Finnigan.

“It reflects a negotiated salary agreement between the chief and the city,� she said. “The city manager has been pleased with Chief Luman’s work to date and felt it was in the city’s best interest to have the chief remain with Newport Beach for another six months.�

Luman is assigned with steering the department through a tumultuous time.

Low morale came to a head this year when the Police Management Assn. argued that the city should investigate how officers are promoted. The union represents police sergeants and higher ranks. Later, city officials acknowledged that Klein’s own recruitment to chief violated a city ordinance, as did a post-retirement agreement for city employees.

City leaders chose to keep Luman at the helm as the city concludes its investigation into promotions and institutes changes.

In court testimony during a lawsuit earlier this year, one former officer compared the Newport Beach Police Department to high school, where there’s an “in� crowd and “out� crowd.