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The city of Pleasanton announced on Thursday the appointment of an interim police chief who will take over in May and lead the Pleasanton Police Department until the city hires a permanent replacement for outgoing Chief David Swing.
Gina Anderson — chief of police for the city of Newark — will begin her new position at Pleasanton PD on May 3, according to a press release from Pleasanton officials.
“With more than three decades of law enforcement service, Chief Anderson brings a depth of experience to the interim post,” City Manager Gerry Beaudin said in the press release. “I have tremendous confidence in her ability to lead our police department as we continue to deliver the first-rate protection and services our community is accustomed to.”
The news that Swing was leaving the PPD first broke at the beginning of March after he announced he accepted an executive director position at the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority. Swing is stepping down from Pleasanton on May 2 and set to begin his new job later that month, according to city officials.
Upon his departure, the city will be bringing on Anderson to serve as interim chief while the city undergoes a recruitment process and selection of the next permanent police chief.
Pleasanton communications manager Heather Tiernan told the Weekly that Anderson will be retiring from the Newark Police Department soon to take on the new interim position in Pleasanton.
According to the press release, Anderson began her career in law enforcement as a community service officer with the city of Davis in 1992. She was then sworn in as an officer the following year and was promoted to sergeant in 2002.
In 2006, Anderson joined the Citrus Heights Police Department as a lieutenant before being promoted to police commander in 2013 and then as assistant chief of police in 2018.
Anderson was then appointed as police chief for the Newark Police Department in April 2020 where she created and implemented strategic plans for the department, which involved leveraging new technology like comprehensive community cameras and new computer analytics to improve crime analysis and better serve the community, according to the press release.
She also implemented an employee wellness program at the police department, which focused on both mental and physical health.
Anderson has a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from the University of the Pacific as well as a doctor of law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Police Executive Research Forum’s prestigious Senior Management Institute for Police Executives, according to the press release.
Too bad they couldn’t promote one of their two Captains from within their department as Interim while they looked for a permanent replacement for Chief. The Captains are well qualified, have a wealth of knowledge of their department and the City of Pleasanton.
Completely agree with Bob! I support promotion from within the ranks as opposed to going outside. Hopefully, this truly is interim and the Chief will be named from within PPD.
Transitions in leadership are always challenging and the continuity allowed by choosing an interim chief from the department helps ease some of the adjustments that always are needed. It gives everyone a chance to get comfortable with the idea that things will be different. Bringing in someone from a very different kind of city adds a level of uncertainty that it might have been nice to avoid.
Welcome to her.