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James Craig, who runs the homicide and gang unit in Los Angeles, is big on community policing.

By DAVID HENCH, Staff Writer February 18, 2009

PORTLAND — Capt. James Craig has spent the past four years overseeing the homicide and gang unit for the Los Angeles Police Department in the city's tough southwest section, pushing his community policing philosophy in a 12-square-mile district where city officials say there are 10,000 documented gang members.

Craig now is set to bring that big-city policing experience to Portland, which has one of the lowest violent-crime rates in the country for a city of its size.

On Tuesday, City Manager Joseph Gray named Craig the city's new police chief. Gray will present his choice to the City Council for a confirmation vote at its first meeting in March.

"He certainly has had a broad range of experience in the department, not only in the patrol division but also in the investigation side," Gray said. "He's a great supporter of community policing, and (that) is an important part of the policing effort here in the city.

"It was all of that experience that certainly made him an appealing candidate," Gray said.

If confirmed, Craig will take over the city's police force May 4, replacing Tim Burton, who served as chief from 2005 to 2008 before leaving to become police chief in Odessa, Texas.

"Portland seems like a great place: quality of life, lots of opportunity and a beautiful place," Craig said in a telephone interview. "As I started getting more into the process and doing my research, I actually became more excited."

Craig, 52, said several things led him to accept the job leading Portland's police force. For one, he looks forward to the Maine commute.

"The traffic is madness out here, especially on the west side," said Craig, who has spent 28 years with the LAPD.

The selection of Craig, who would become the city's first African-American police chief, drew praise from councilors and from those involved in the interview process.

"I think he has impressive credentials, a lot of experience and I think he will bring progressive ideas to a department desperately in need of progressive ideas," said Scott Dunham, a detective who is president of the Police Benevolent Association, which represents the department's front-line officers.

Dunham was one of the union representatives who served on an interview panel.

"This is a chance for us to get ahead of the curve a little bit, someone who is new, has new ideas, has no ties or debts he has to pay," Dunham said. "He starts off fresh. Everything now is a fresh slate."

City Councilor Dan Skolnik, chairman of the council's public safety committee, said the city manager's description of Craig sounds like a good fit for Maine's largest city.

"It's clear that Chief Craig had a whole lot of responsibility in the LAPD, and I think that's great for us as a 21st century city, with a burgeoning immigrant and minority population, and I really look forward to meeting with him and working with him and helping him get settled into his new duties," Skolnik said.

Portland Mayor Jill Duson said Craig will do well if he is open and interacts with members of the community.

"I'm looking forward to him bringing a sense of larger city business to our community. I think what our city can add is just how personal we are. We're a big small town," she said. "I hope he'll be prepared to receive feedback in the produce aisle of the supermarket."

Duson said she was not informed until some time after Gray's announcement that Craig is black.

"For me, that's icing on the cake," she said.

Duson, who is black, was the lone dissenting vote on Gray's choice of Burton more than three years ago. She said that the selection process was flawed and that Gray did not appoint the candidate receiving the highest marks from the interview panels, a black man who was a captain in a Florida department.

Duson said Tuesday that she thought the interview process this time was open and fair.

Rachel Talbot...