Speaker after speaker took to the podium at Stockton City Hall last week in support of Police Chief Stanley McFadden, urging city leaders to keep McFadden at the helm of the city’s police department.
“He shows compassion, peace and love for this city of Stockton, and that’s what we need more of,” public commenter Yvonne Tibon said.
McFadden’s career in law enforcement stretches for 31 years. In 2022, after a nationwide search, he was appointed as the first black chief of police in the 173 year history of the Stockton Police Department. Since then, his work in the city has received praise from many in the community and on the council dais.
Stockton’s police chief is an at-will employee, meaning that he doesn’t have a contract with the city outlining certain benefits and protections officials say provide more incentive for McFadden to stay with the city. Currently, the police chief’s compensation and benefits are dictated under the city’s agreement with Unrepresented Management/Confidential and Law Employees, according to the city clerk.
For months, members of the public have been asking City Council to take up the matter.
Mayor Christina Fugazi placed the issue as a discussion item on the City Council’s meeting agenda last week for the council to provide feedback to the city manager regarding making McFadden a contracted employee. No official action was taken, as the item was for discussion only, but the tone of the discussion seemed to be widely agreed upon that McFadden should get a contract — and soon.
Fugazi praised McFadden’s tenure in the city, citing crime statistics that point to positive trends in the city. She noted a 54.6% increase in officer proactivity, a homicide clearance rate of 66.7% — above the national average — and fewer homicides so far this year compared with the sameperiod last year.
“He doesn’t have to be here,” Fugazi said, noting he had already retired from the San Jose Police Department before coming to Stockton.
Retaining stability at the top of the department’s leadership is critical as the city continues to face staffing shortages and public safety challenges, Fugazi added. She advised that McFadden’s success within Stockton should be rewarded.
“When people are doing well, we need to recognize them for doing well,” the mayor said.
The rest of the council widely echoed this sentiment.
Vice Mayor Jason Lee applauded McFadden for his leadership and visibility as a police chief. Also noting that as the first Black police chief in the city, McFadden helps represent the community that he serves. However, Lee noted that discussion surrounding making the police chief a contracted position should be calculated.
“This conversation cannot be an emotional conversation. It has to be one of practicality when you talk about giving contracts to staff,” Lee said.
The vice mayor also said that the city should be moving forward with the contract based on the position, not just how much the city likes the current person holding the position. He also emphasized the need for consistency in the future if the city does decide to move forward with a contract for McFadden and for the chiefs that will follow.
“We’re setting a precedent,” Lee said, adding that equitable consideration should be given to other department heads in the future.
Councilmember Michael Blower, who represents Stockton’s District 3, raised a similar point, suggesting the city also discuss giving Fire Chief Bryan Carr a contract. Blower noted that Carr has also received positive feedback from firefighters and the community.
Fugazi acknowledged Carr’s leadership but said the current focus was on the police chief, noting McFadden has served since 2022, while Carr was hired just last April.
After council discussion, the item was opened to public comment, where residents overwhelmingly voiced support for offering McFadden a contract.
Several speakers praised McFadden and his officers for their engagement with the community, as well as making a point to create bonds with the people they serve.
Gene Tibon, a business owner in the city, said that it’s important for the city to not just give McFadden a contract, but also come to an agreement for a contract for the rest of the police department, so the officers who have been serving can “take care of their families and be confident and comfortable.”
The Stockton Police Officers Association, which represents a majority of the department’s nonmanagement sworn officers, has been without a contract since June of last year.
McFadden was also described as being known for his personable character by the public.
Stockton resident Manbir Singh, who said he participated in the department’s Stockton Police Community Academy, noted McFadden greeted participants personally on the first day, calling them part of the “SPD family.”
“He doesn’t see Stockton as just a workplace,” Singh said. “He sees it as a community he is responsible for.”
Leslie Heron, described him as “a chief with his boots on the ground,” praising his involvement in cold case efforts and victim support initiatives.
However, some public commenters at the meeting took a more measured, critical tone.
Stockton city resident Cynthia Gail Boyd questioned what exactly McFadden’s contract, if given, would include.
“It just seems like it’s a thought in the air,” Boyd said, referring to a possible contract for the police chief.
Boyd also asked for more police visibility in the south central region of the city.
“We want to see the police in District 5,” she said, pointing out that there is still progress to be made with law enforcement in the city.
As public comment for the item came to a close, there was no further action taken. Mayor Fugazi said that, when it came to potentially offering the police chief a contract, City Council “didn’t want to do anything until we had a permanent city manager.”
The city now has a permanent city manager with the appointment of Johnny Ford in November of last year. Fugazi advised Ford to look into how they can move forward with a contract for McFadden.
If McFadden is ultimately given a contract, Blower told Stocktonia that the issue would need to come back before City Council for approval.
Until then, the chief’s overwhelming support from both City Council and the residents of Stockton echoed the same sentiment: Continuity within leadership matters.