Long Beach Police Department promotes first deputy chief of police - Contra Costa Times
Cmdr. Laura Farinella officially became deputy chief at a swearing in ceremony held in the Long Beach City Council Chambers, a ceremony that drew more than 200 people including former members of the Long Beach Police Department.
In addition to Farinella's promotion, five other LBPD employees rose through the ranks. They are: Cmdr. Michael Beckman; Lt. Donald Wood; and Communication Center Supervisors David Barrow, Leslie Griggs and Melina Runnels.
Four other officers were awarded the department's newly designed Purple Heart medal, which was given to all 19 members of the force who have earned the distinction since the department began issuing the purple heart in 1988.
The newly designed medals were given out to most of the 19 officers at the LBPD's annual awards ceremony in June. The officers who received their medals Thursday, including retired Officer Roy Wade who was shot in the line of duty in 2006, were unable to attend the June ceremony.
Family and friends were on hand for all the officers and employees honored Thursday.
But only Farinella received a loud cheer when Police Chief Jim McDonnell announced her name; a showing of the devotion and respect McDonnell said Farinella has earned throughout her 21 years on the force.
McDonnell said the promotion of Farinella was
a wonderful achievement not only for her, but for the department and he was especially proud of the new deputy chief."As she's risen through the ranks she shined in every position she's taken," the chief said after the ceremony.
However, as significant as it is to have the first female deputy chief, McDonnell said he has always and will always see Farinella first as a police officer.
"I would focus not so much on her being a woman, but on her being a great cop," he insisted.
The new deputy chief told the Press-Telegram in an exclusive interview Wednesday that she is looking forward to her new duties as head of the Support Bureau and she is ready to make changes if needed.
During her tenure with the LBPD, Farinella has worked in various capacities in patrol, including the East and North Divisions. As a commander she oversaw the Gangs and Violent Crime Division, which includes Homicide, and she has been McDonnell's chief of staff for the past year-and-a-half.
Though all her experience is important, her most recent role proved extremely valuable in prepping for her new job, she said.
"Every day is like being in school and learning from (the chief) ... and the other deputy chiefs as well," Farinella said. "All of us work as a team."
As McDonnell's chief of staff Farinella worked long hours and often on her days off. It was a tough job to juggle with two children, Emily, 13, and Charlie, 7, and her wife of 21 years, LBPD Child Abuse Detective Dawn Collinske.
"I'm very lucky," she said of Collinske. "It's fun, it's nice to have longevity ... it's nice to be with a cop, she understands the business."
In addition to becoming the first female deputy chief Farinella is also the highest ranking openly gay or lesbian officer on the force.
She said she was proud to serve as a role model for everyone in the department and the city, but she also realizes the importance of representing Long Beach's large gay and lesbian community.
The deputy chief will continue to serve on the chief's Gay and Lesbian advisory group, and has provided a valuable link to the community, she and McDonnell said.
"Long Beach is a model of diversity," the chief said Thursday.
"We have so many different groups of people ... and they all have their own unique qualities and issues," he noted. "We need to make sure that everybody feels as though they are respected and being served in the best way we can."
With Farinella's promotion, East Division Cmdr. Lisa Lopez is slated to become the chief's new chief of staff.
Lopez will take over once she is done training at the FBI's national academy, McDonnell said.
"Lisa will do a great job," the chief added Thursday. "But I will miss Laura."
tracy.manzer@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1261.
30 Sep, 2011--
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