.png)
“He can hit the ground running,” claims Figone, and “He has the courage to lead this through times of change and great instability.”
Community Partnerships
San Jose Fire Chief William McDonald also had good things to say about Chief Moore.
“Honesty, but he was also a great police officer, and he cares a lot about the community and is very focused on ensuring that there is a good relationship between the community and the department,” said McDonald to The Epoch Times.
MILESTONE: Assistant Chief Diane Urban has become the highest ranking woman in the history of the San Jose Police Department. (Abraham Thompson/The Epoch Times)
McDonald is excited to strengthen the fire department’s tight working relationship with the police department. “This community and city sees public safety as a single function. We have so much that we can do that is better for the city and a better way to provide services if we are collaborative and collective on how we serve our community,” said McDonald.
Moore is alarmed about the high homicide rate in San Jose this year, which already stands at 12 compared to last year’s total of 20. He mentioned that gang homicide is a focus for him.
The overlying thread is building better community partnerships given the distrust some would say has developed in recent years with the public, as well as overcoming the looming budget deficit.
“It’s time that we strengthen our community partnerships… The first thing I have to do out of the gate is to reestablish relationships with the community,” said Moore.
“We are going to shrink and contract. The key is to manage that shrinkage and then protect the citizens the best we can with what we have,” commented Moore, alluding to potential layoffs and the possibility of losing the department’s helicopter due to the budget shortfall.
Harnessing the 21st century’s technology is a priority for the chief. Figone calls Moore a leader in developing the upcoming public safety wireless broadband network for police that “will be there when we need it, whenever we need it, wherever we need it,” says Moore.
Stay tuned, the unveiling of this “multi-million dollar project” will be unveiled in San Jose shortly said Moore.
Moore is determined that the “new technologies, new records management system, and automated field reporting system” will greatly assist the department.
Chief Moore closed the interview with this message for San Jose residents: “If they need help, [I hope] that they call us, and we will respond as quickly as we can, and we are there to help them.”
