Benicia police chief moves to city manager role
(Photo courtesy Benicia Polie Department, Graphic by Solano NewsNet)
The City of Benicia’s council has picked Chief of Police Erik Upson to serve as the city’s new manager.
The decision was made by a unanimous vote during a closed session Tuesday evening. It was announced by the city Wednesday afternoon.
“The city council is very pleased that Mr. Upson has accepted our offer to become our next city manager,” Steve Young, Benicia’s mayor, said in a statement on Wednesday. “Although he has come to this job in an unconventional fashion, having served his entire career in law enforcement, he has shown a high degree of adaptability and initiative in confronting numerous challenges.”
In a biography released with the announcement, city officials said Upson joined the U.S. Army shortly after graduating high school. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in American Studies, and then went on to work for the Berkeley Police Department where he served for nearly two decades.
While working as a Berkeley police officer, Upson went back to school, earning a Master’s Degree from California State University, Long Beach. City officials said Upson has a wife and four children.
Upson was appointed interim city manager last September, a position he held while also serving as the town’s police chief. He relinquishes the law enforcement title with his promotion to the city manager role.
“I’m honored by the trust and confidence the mayor and council have shown me,” Upson said in a statement. “I am committed to serving the Benicia community and our amazing staff at the highest level. I will lead and serve with the vision of providing the greatest city service and workforce anywhere and in doing so, strive to continuously improve the quality of life in this amazing community.”
Upson’s appointment to the city manager role is immediate. Benicia city officials said a new chief of police would be appointed at a later date.
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