The City of Anaheim has hired University of California, Irvine Police Chief Jorge Cisneros as its next top cop. Cisneros was appointed by a majority of the city council Tuesday. He’ll assume the role next month at an annual salary of $267,000.
Kris Murray was the only council member who opposed Cisneros’ hiring — at least before the appointment of a new manager who could weigh in on the decision.
Cisneros is replacing Raul Quezada who retired in 2017. He walked away with $750,000 after alleging “intolerable” working conditions on the job. Deputy Chief Julian Harvey has been serving as Acting Chief since Quezada stepped down. He was initially in the running for Quezada’s replacement but did not advance with the pool of other finalists.
“Bringing a chief from the outside is often times a chance to set the reset button,” said MayorTom Tait.
Cisneros has been with UCI for the past three years. He previously served as chief of police in Huntington Park and worked for the Long Beach Police Department for nearly two decades prior. He holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Chapman University and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.