Mark Kling is very highly recomended by these news reports that I have read. He came from a Department that was torn down and he did a lot of things to build the Department back to a good hard working department. Kling, has got a lot of work to do, and the first thing is next Contract negotiations that he take on the City council and ask for the 3% @50 Retirement Package, and a Hiring ensentive to equil or better that of San Bernardino's $10k, so Rialto might want to make theirs a $15K hiring ensentive to get some canditates away from San Bernardino, who at this time has a better Retirement Package. Beleave it or not it does matter, unless you are a 21-26-year-old applicant that just wants to get hired and it doesn't matter where. Then you are just out to work and get that Basic Post Certificate, and then you are off to the next Police Department and possibly your last, espeically when you shop around for the best Retirement Package. The only people that will be at Rialto Police ar those that love Rialto Police as I did!!
Welcome to Rialto Chief Kling, Don't think about my Idea of fighting for the Retirement rights of your sebordents yet, just get settled in for now. we will work on that later. I know that I am possibly dreaming, but it is or was a nice dream for the people still at Rialto PD.
Instead of me saying all this for Rialto's best I should ask for the Rialto Police Benefit Assoc. to ask or fight for Retired Police Employee's to get full medical payed. I would get so much more money a month it would help us so much. But I would rather fight for your retirement and make it better for the future generations. What or how weird am I??
As I have been told pretty weird!! Anyway, getting back to the subject that I started with, welcome Aboard Chief Kling, and I hope that you have a wonderful time at Rialto Police Department. As good of a time as I did!!
BSRanch...
Rialto picks new police chief
Mark Kling credited with Baldwin Park PD revival
Robert Rogers SB Sun Staff Writer...
RIALTO - Baldwin Park Police Chief Mark Kling will serve as this city's next top cop, City Administrator Henry Garcia announced Wednesday.
Kling built his reputation in part on rebuilding the Baldwin Park Police Department, which bordered on dissolution five years ago. The Rialto Police Department weathered a similar struggle after the City Council voted in September to disband it in favor of contracting with the Sheriff's Department. The council reversed its position in March.
"I look at this as an opportunity, and I see a city on the verge of explosive growth. The challenge motivates me," Kling said.
Garcia said Kling, who was chosen after a final round of interviews Monday and will be paid $153,000 yearly, was the best fit for the situation and the city.
"Mr. Kling and I share a serious commitment to reinventing this department," Garcia said. "He is the perfect leader to change the organizational culture from one that has been distanced to one that is integrated."
Garcia's decision does not require council approval. His selection followed recommendations from a seven-member interview committee that shaved a field of seven candidates to the two Garcia interviewed Monday.
Garcia sketched Kling as tough, principled and brainy, pointing to his success in leading the Baldwin Park Poliuce Department since 2001 and his doctorate in public administration from the University of La Verne.
"He shares with us a desire for a cultural change and a confidence and focus to lead the city into the future," Garcia said. "There is no Plan B because we will accomplish Plan A (rebuilding the department)."
Baldwin Park city and police officials, unaware their chief was stalking the Rialto position, were jolted Wednesday morning.
"It took me aback. It was totally unexpected," said Baldwin Park Mayor Manuel Lozano. "He's one of the most talented, innovative leaders I've ever met. He'll be tough to replace."
Kling "turned around" the Police Department in the 84,000-population city when he ascended from captain to chief in 2001, according to Lozano.
Kling helped revive a Police Department that some in city leadership at the time suggested be scrapped in favor of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Kling will be stepping up from a department with 124 personnel to Rialto's, which employs about 160 when fully staffed. Currently, staffing is down nearly 25 percent.
"In 2001, the Baldwin Park police was in roughly the same condition Rialto is in now," Kling said. "I'm ready to get in and develop a plan to return the department to premiere status."
Kling said he hoped to start his new job by late August.
Members of the seven-person interview committee that screened the top seven applicants July 6 overwhelmingly favored Kling. Councilman Ed Scott said Kling was "dynamite" in the interview, impressing his interrogators with his energy, communication skills and knowledge of Rialto's community and department.
"He clearly did his homework," Scott said.
Questions swirled among community members closely watching the saga unfold as to what would happen if Garcia flouted the committee's consensus and opted against Kling.
But it didn't happen, and virtually everyone seemed satisfied Wednesday.
"I'm just glad it's over and (Garcia) didn't mess it up," said resident Angie Consolo, who was a member of the citizen group that opposed Garcia and the council's since-abandoned plans to disband the Police Department.
Rialto police union president Andrew Pilcher said Wednesday Kling was a "wise choice" who would have the support of the force's rank and file.
During his tenure in Baldwin Park, Kling's major accomplishments included expanding traffic forces, launching a narcotics-enforcement team and a full-time gang-enforcement team and upgrades of communications and weapons and defense systems, according to a Baldwin Park police association presentation to the City Council in 2004.
"But most of all, Chief Kling has established an atmosphere of trust and fairness within the Police Departme nt," wrote Officer Mark Adams in the report.
Kling called the commendation one of his greatest personal achievements.
Kling, 48, was born in Montebello in 1957 and graduated from Montebello High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Phoenix and a master's degree and doctorate from the University of La Verne. He completed his dissertation and received his degree in 2003, moonlighting as a student between duties as police chief.
After serving as a police Explorer at age 14, Kling got a job as a reserve officer with Monterey Park police in 1981 and worked there until 1999, when he joined the Baldwin Park force.
Kling said he plans on staying in Rialto long-term.
"Rialto today is nothing like what it's going to be like in the future," Kling said. "I wouldn't come here if I didn't want to be a part of that equation, that future."
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