Acting San Jose police chief appointed as permanent chief

Chief Paul Joseph joined the department in 1994 and has served in a number of roles during his 30-year career in San Jose.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose City Council on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of acting Police Chief Paul Joseph to take over as the department's permanent chief starting next week.

Joseph had served as acting chief of the San Jose Police Department since former chief Anthony Mata retired in March. He officially becomes the permanent chief on Monday, city officials said.

Joseph joined the department in 1994 and has served in a number of roles during his 30-year career in San Jose.

"Paul is an experienced law enforcement professional. A courageous and collaborative leader who is unafraid to try new policing techniques, engage in dialogue with our community and build deep and lasting relationships. He is transparent, direct, and candid," City Manager Jennifer Maguire said in a statement.

Maguire made the appointment after a nationwide recruitment and the council confirmed it Tuesday.

Mayor Matt Mahan said Joseph "is exactly the person we need to help rebuild our ranks, test innovative new approaches and ensure the people of San Jose are safe and protected."

Acting San Jose police chief appointed as permanent chief

Chief Paul Joseph joined the department in 1994 and has served in a number of roles during his 30-year career in San Jose.

The new chief said, "I am excited to take this next step in my career. It is an honor and a privilege to lead the amazing men and women of the San Jose Police Department."

The San Jose Police Officers' Association union representing the department's officers expressed its support of the appointment in a statement.

"Selecting Paul Joseph as San Jose's next police chief was a wise decision by our city leaders. Chief Joseph brings a wealth of experience, innovative ideas, and a collaborative nature to a department he knows inside and out. Chief Joseph will need all of those traits as we get to work keeping the residents of San Jose safe by increasing staffing, improving morale, and strengthening community policing. Congratulations Chief," the union said.

Still, not everyone is pleased with Joseph’s appointment. The NAACP chapter in San Jose released a statement saying:

The San Jose/Silicon Valley NAACP, alongside various social justice organizations, wishes to express its grave concerns regarding the recent selection of the new Police Chief. It has come to our attention that the selection process lacked transparency and inclusivity, as neither our organization nor other key community groups were involved in any capacity. The absence of our participation raises serious questions about the integrity of the selection process. It appears that the City Manager and staff either unilaterally made the decision or selectively chose individuals to interview candidates, sidelining the voices of those who represent and advocate for the community.

As a result, the appointment of Chief Joseph, who previously lacked a relationship with our community, may hinder his ability to foster trust and collaboration. We firmly believe that no transparency breeds no trust. The troubling notion of repeating past mistakes—in this case, hiring from within—does not promote the progressive changes our community desperately needs. Additionally, there is currently no Black representation on the command staff, signaling a distressing return to outdated practices reminiscent of the Chief Davis era. The lack of community engagement in this process instills fear that it will only exacerbate the existing distrust between the community and law enforcement." - Rev. Jethroe Moore II, San Jose/Silicon Valley NAACP

Advocacy group Silicon Valley De-Bug also released a statement saying:

"That the City of San Jose would once again select within the current administration just confirms how the city and the department are staying with their regressive culture. It means all of those pronouncements of change that city leadership claimed to commit to since the period after the George Floyd uprisings, were simply a PR move. That they made this selection quietly, ostensibly with no public input, means they never had any intention of being responsive to impacted communities to begin with." - Raj Jayadev, Coordinator of Silicon Valley De-Bug

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