Friday, August 3, 2007

Lancaster Police chief leaving for top cop job in Texarkana

By Brian Allen of TODAY Newspapers

Lancaster TODAY

Lancaster TODAY is the premier source of community news for the Lancaster area

Daniel Shiner, police chief since 1998, has resigned to become the new chief in Texarkana.

Shiner is the third high-profile city official to leave Lancaster in the past few months. Former City Manager Jim Landon took the same position with a city in Florida, and Steve Filipowicz left Lancaster's economic development directorship for an Arizona suburb.

Lancaster recently hired Rickey Childers, former Longview city manager, to fill that position. Assistant City Manager Opal Mauldin Robertson said the city will conduct a national search to find Shiner's replacement.

Not provided by Lancaster TODAY

This tiny picture of Daniel Shiner does no justice to his mustache.

“Chief Shiner has been an asset to the city of Lancaster; under his leadership we have increased the number of officers, established a neighborhood (Problem Oriented Police) unit, and maintained a stable force to protect and serve the public.

“Dan is a very well respected professional and is certain to be an asset to Texarkana,” Childers said.

Lancaster Assistant Police Chief Pat Stallings, a 22-year-veteran of the force, will serve as the interim chief. He became a captain in 2000 and is a Lancaster native. He is a 2002 graduate of Leadership Command College Management Institute and a 2004 graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Shiner indicated he intended to work in both cities for about three weeks to make an easy transition for the Lancaster department.

The Texarkana city council made the move official at its July 30 meeting. The police chief position in Texarkana has been vacant for a year. Following his confirmation by the Texarkana City Council, Shiner thanked them for “their trust and faith in me.”

“I assure you, I won't let you down.” He said.

Shiner said he is looking forward to a “great working relationship” with City Manager Larry Sullivan and also the chance to work in his wife's hometown of Texarkana.

“This is a dream come true for us. This is home,” he said. “I think you have a great police department and I want to make it an even greater police department.”

Shiner and his wife, Phyllis, have a home in Texarkana and have been spending more and more time there over the years.

His wife returned to Texarkana on a full-time basis about four months ago. He has been joining her on weekends.

Prior to Lancaster, Shiner had served the city of Santa Maria, Calif., from 1992 to 1998. He progressed through the ranks serving as a patrol officer, traffic officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and division commander. He holds a master's degree in public administration and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the California State Law Enforcement Command College and the California State Executive Development program.

Information for this story was also provided by Lori Dunn and Jodi Sheridan, reporters for the Texarkana Gazette.

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