Rohnert Park taps former Sebastopol police chief to run its public safety department

Rohnert Park officials have selected former Sebastopol Police Chief Jeff Weaver to serve as interim director of the city’s public safety department, an appointment made one week after the current director, Brian Masterson, abruptly announced he would be retiring from the agency amid controversy over his department’s highway drug seizure program.

Weaver, 51, who is retired, has been a law enforcement leader in Sonoma County for decades, serving 13 years as Sebastopol’s police chief and as a mentor to generations of local cadets as an instructor at the Santa Rosa Junior College police academy.

If his appointment is confirmed by the City Council on Aug. 14, Weaver will be the second law enforcement veteran tapped by Rohnert Park officials to bring expertise and stability to its unified police and firefighting agency amid public fallout from the city’s aggressive asset forfeiture missions and the resignation of its top drug officer.

Rohnert Park City Manager Darrin Jenkins said he chose Weaver because he has “a reputation for high moral and ethical values.

“He’s a kind man, and I think he’ll bring some stability in the leadership,” Jenkins said.

On Friday, the city announced it had hired former Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan to serve as the city’s first police auditor and conduct a wide-ranging examination of police policies and practices. Jordan will also investigate a series of complaints from individuals about the city’s asset forfeiture program and traffic stops.

Masterson has been criticized within his department for his inability to keep the department fully staffed and for his hands-off leadership style. Those criticisms prompted rank-and-file personnel to cast an overwhelming no-confidence vote for him in May 2017, shortly after the City Council voted to extend his contract for another four years and give him a 13 percent pay raise.

The department is facing public scrutiny for its aggressive asset forfeiture seizures, netting more than $2.4 million in cash and valuable assets over the past three years, more than any other Sonoma County law enforcement agency.

Officers were sent in many cases to patrol Highway 101 near the Sonoma-Mendocino county line - more than 40 miles outside city limits - where they pulled over vehicles to intercept black-market drugs and cash.

But a series of complaints from local veteran defense attorneys and people who had their property taken by Rohnert Park officers led to internal investigations involving at least one officer and a sergeant, Brendon “Jacy” Tatum, who resigned in June.

If Weaver’s appointment is finalized, the veteran chief said part of his role will be to support the city’s efforts to investigate department practices and shepherd the agency to more solid ground. Weaver said he called the city last week to say he was interested in the interim director role after learning Masterson was retiring.

“My experience with the people of Rohnert Park Public Safety Department is that they’re very ethical and capable and they have tremendous support from people in the community,” Weaver said.

“I know the city, and the city manager is taking these allegations seriously.”

Jenkins, the city manager, said they have provided a conditional job offer to Weaver, who must complete the background and testing process. He would be paid about $89 an hour and receive no benefits.

Jenkins said he hopes the city will have a permanent director by January or February, and is currently reviewing proposals from recruitment firms.

Weaver was hired in 1989 as a police officer in Sebastopol and he rose through the ranks, becoming chief in 2004. Weaver has served as a board member of the California Police Chiefs Association since 2013, and previously led the Sonoma County Law enforcement Chiefs Association. Weaver said he will continue teaching at the police academy.

Jenkins said Weaver brings strong connections to Sonoma County and has likely trained many Rohnert Park officers.

“I’m hopeful that I can be a familiar person to step in and help lead as they move forward,” Weaver said.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.