Interim Oakland PD Chief Gets Permanent Position

Oakland, Calif., interim Police Chief Sean Whent has been named the department's new permanent police chief.

On Wednesday, Oakland, Calif., Mayor Jean Quan announced that Sean Whent, an 18-year department veteran who was serving as interim chief, had won the job as Oakland PD's permanent leader, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

Whent, who competed against 27 candidates from across the country for the job, said he was pleased with the promotion.

"Oakland is a complex and colorful city full of possibilities, and the Oakland Police Department must play a key role in the success of the city," he said.

Whent, 39, is respected in the community and by city leaders as a no-nonsense commander who bluntly lays out the faults and successes of Oakland's Police Department. Whent is not, those close to him say, a showy chief eager for celebrity or a cowboy who wants to stop crime by strutting though the streets.

About the Author