Vallejo appoints former Oakland police chief as senior advisor

VALLEJO, Calif. (BCN/KTVU) - Former Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan has been appointed as a senior advisor to Vallejo City Manager Greg Nyhoff, the city announced Friday. 

Jordan will be a project manager in the search for an interim Vallejo police chief and the recruitment of a permanent police chief, Vallejo Assistant City Manager Joanna Altman said. He also will be involved with the Department of Justice Community Relations Service that will address police and community relations in the wake of officer involved shootings and allegations of use of excessive force.

"The City has already taken bold steps to push forward on improved community relations with our police department, and Mr. Jordan will be a catalyst to our efforts," Nyhoff said.

 "The City Council and City Manager have made it clear they are approaching an improvement in police community relations with an open mind and a sincere desire to make a positive impact," Jordan said in the city's news release about his appointment. He declined an interview with KTVU.

The Vallejo City Council next week will consider taking action to form a Council Ad-Hoc Committee to address community relations, the City Manager's Office said in the release. 

Jordan was hired as a police auditor for the City of Rohnert Park in July 2018 amid complaints about Department of Public Safety officers stopping vehicles in north Sonoma County far outside city limits, to stop and detain drivers for transporting marijuana.

Jordan quit the Oakland Police Department in 2013, as he knew the department's court-appointed federal monitor was about to seek his ouster, the East Bay Times reported. He officially said that he was leaving for medical reasons.