In a Press-Enterprise article published today about San Bernardino westside activists calling for a civilian oversight commission for the police department, Mayor Morris states:

"I think this city is blessed with a remarkably qualified and strong chief of police..."

I am curious as to how the Mayor arrives at this conclusion.  So, I ventured over to the San Bernardino Police Department homepage to read up on Chief Mike Billdt.  Naturally, although it isn't the be all end all, I wanted to take a look at his education and resume.

With respect to him being an officer, I have only heard positive comments regarding his career.  However, when it comes to leadership and having the skills to run an organization the size of the San Bernardino Police Department, there seems to be very little information to go on.

There is nothing on his background at all on the website.  Many of his subordinates at the executive level do have their education and a brief background listed, but not all of them.

So then I took a look on the internet at five other neighboring departments: Ontario, Rialto, Fontana, Redlands and Riverside.

Ontario Police Chief Jim Doyle has the following information listed:

Police Chief Doyle received his bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly Pomona and master’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, San Bernardino.  Chief Doyle is also a graduate of the prestigious Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Southwest Command College.

Fontana Police Chief Larry Clark has the following information listed:

Joined Fontana Police Department in September of 1980
Promoted to Chief in August of 2004
Graduate - Fontana High School 1974
Bachelor's Degree - University of Redlands 1986
Graduate - FBI National Academy 1995
Graduate - Command College 2002

Redlands Police Chief Jim Bueermann has the following listed:

Graduate - California Command College (1998)
Masters Degree - University of Redlands (1987)
Bachelors Degree - Cal State University, San Bernardino (1980)

Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling didn't appear to have anything listed on the website, but I know from previous experience that he is held in very high regard.  So, I did a quick google search and found the following:

He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Phoenix, and a master's and doctorate from the University of La Verne.

Kling built his reputation in part on rebuilding Baldwin Park's department, which came close to dissolution five years ago. Rialto's Police Department weathered a similar struggle after the City Council voted in September to disband it in favor of contracting with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The council reversed its position in March.

[Rialto City Administrator Henry] Garcia characterized Kling as tough, principled and brainy, pointing to his success in leading the Baldwin Park department since 2001 and his doctorate in public administration from the University of La Verne.

With respect to Riverside's police chief, I didn't see anything on their website nor did I perform a google search. 

I am not saying that Chief Mike Billdt isn't qualified, I am simply asking Mayor Morris to communicate and support his statements asserting that Chief Billdt is "remarkably qualified".  With millions more in funding, the department has seen a rise in crime and a decrease in arrests.