Menlo's chief of police resigns: Scott Vermeer will get more responsibility, pay as chief of Mountain View's department. Menlo's chief of police resigns: Scott Vermeer will get more responsibility, pay as chief of Mountain View's department. (November 28, 2001)

By Pam Smith

Almanac Staff Writer

A $10,000 raise and old-fashioned coaxing weren't enough to keep Police Chief Scott Vermeer in Menlo Park.

The 37-year-old chief has resigned, effective January 1, to head up the police department in Mountain View, a community whose population is more than double that of Menlo Park. He has served as police chief for 2-1/2 years.

The city tried to keep him. Even after giving Chief Vermeer the maximum salary adjustment for management staff in July _ 5.25 percent, to $127,848 _ the city raised his salary again, just a couple of months ago, to $138,222, according to city officials.

"That (most recent raise) was essentially to make him more competitive in the marketplace," said Mr. Boesch. "We also tried to use persuasion."

Menlo Park "was very good about" trying to retain him, Chief Vermeer said, but the opportunity that came along was just too good to pass up.

Mountain View was the only city that could have lured him away right now, he said, because "it's where my personal and professional goals kind of intersect."

It's a professional move because of the "size of department, money, those kinds of things," said Chief Vermeer. He'll make about $160,000 a year when he takes over for retiring Chief Michael Maehler on January 2, said Mountain View City Manager Kevin Duggan.

And it's a personal move, said Chief Vermeer, because it will allow him to work close to his roots. He grew up in the neighboring Los Altos, where he now lives with his wife, Kerry, and their three children.

They plan to look for a home in Mountain View, he added.
Menlo's next chief

Scott Vermeer "was a very good chief for us," said Menlo Park police Sgt. Jim Simpson. "It was very refreshing. He was young, enthusiastic, personable, and a really easy chief to work for."

"Whoever comes in is going to have some very large shoes to fill," said Officer Glenn Raggio.

At this point, it's not clear who will be filling them.

After January 2, Cmdr. Greg Rothaus and Cmdr. Chris Boyd are each scheduled to serve two months as acting chief, said Mr. Boesch. The city will probably take four to five months to conduct its search for a new chief, and will look at candidates both within and outside of the department, he said.

Both commanders, said Chief Vermeer, "will be excellent candidates (to replace me) if they choose to apply" for the permanent position.

No delays or gaps in service are expected during the transition and interim periods, Mr. Boesch said.
New job

"It'll be fun to police a community I'm so connected to," said Chief Vermeer.

Mountain View, which has some 70,700 residents, is a community where the young chief will have more responsibilities. It has about three to four times the number of serious crimes, such as homicide, rape, theft and burglary, said Chief Vermeer.

Chief Vermeer will oversee about twice as many sworn officers as he does in Menlo Park.

The larger city offers some "interesting things" for a police chief, he said, such as a SWAT team, a hostage team, and the responsibility to police the Shoreline Amphitheatre. Chief Vermeer started Redwood City's SWAT and hostage negotiation teams before coming to Menlo Park.

"I look for a diverse community with issues all over the spectrum," he said.

Chief Vermeer was chosen from among roughly 45 applicants, said Mountain View City Manager Kevin Duggan, largely because of his philosophy on community policing, community service and integrity in policing. "He has very excellent ... communication skills, as well as [leadership], supervisory and management skills," said Mr. Duggan.

"I think Mountain View knows exactly what they're getting, and that's one of the best police chiefs in the Bay Area," said Menlo Park's City Manager Boesch.

Previously a captain with Redwood City's police department, Chief Vermeer came to Menlo Park, to his first post as a police chief, in March 1999. "My experience here has been fantastic, and I'm extremely sad to go," said Chief Vermeer. "It was a very difficult decision to apply, because I have a great boss (David Boesch), I have a great staff."