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Robert Burton offered Paso Robles chief position

May 14, 2013
Capt. Robert Burton

Capt. Robert Burton

By CALCOASTNEWS STAFF

Capt. Robert Burton has reportedly been selected to be the next chief of the Paso Robles Police Department, according to police sources.

Burton is acting chief and has been leading the department for nearly a year since the scandal-plagued departure of Lisa Solomon-Chitty from the top cop’s job in March 2012.

Several former Paso Robles Police officers accused Solomon-Chitty of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and initiated an illegal ticket quota scheme.

Two separate, extensive national searches have attracted 103 candidates and culled out at least three leading contenders for the job, but none apparently have been willing to accept the position.

During the first round, Burton said he did not want the $160,000 job and did not participate.

The first leading candidate was Manuel “Manny” Guaderrama, a 29-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department, who accepted, and then declined, the position late last year.

After that, city officials initiated another search, this time attracting 43 candidates including Burton.

A panel of citizens and city officials interviewed finalists April 5. According to sources, the top two candidates in the most recent search effort have rejected the opportunity, both for “personal reasons.”

Burton’s selection will make for the third internal recruitment of a Paso Robles Chief.

Human Resources Director Marlene Sanders said the city has “no comment on the search for the chief of police.”


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Congratulations, citizens – you have been shafted again!! I commented over 6 months ago that Burton would be the next Police Chief, for the simple reason that he has been, is now, and will always be another of Mr. App’s lackeys. This requirement was the #1 item for any candidate.


So to all of those who have responded to this “news flash” – you just have to accept the cruel, hard fact – Paso Robles has been, is now, and will always be ran as the ‘phat bald guy’s’ fiefdom. He has

won and there is nothing anyone can do about it. You can go cry in your beer, comminserate with each other, wring your hands, and cry “shame on us” ; but in the end – what is, is. App rules – totally and completely.


I totally agree that this city will never be what it should be, and could be, as long as App rules But as long as the ‘gonadless’ city council is in place – his rule will never be questioned by anyone who has the power to act. And as long as this city and its citizens continue to have candidates for mayor and CC as was the case for the recent election – this will continue.


As for the police department, with Burton in charge. Time will tell, but it is my bet that nothing will change from what has been the case. All the citizen comments about what was needed in a new police chief will be forgotten.


My last comment is to Mr. Burton. If you have any pride in yourself, as a man and as a citizen of this city, you would refuse the job. But since you do not, and you are accepting this job solely for the salary increase – knowing full-well the #1 requirement (see above), then you need to know that, for whatever it is worth – you have lost my confidence.


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I agree, Paso_Citizen. There is a strong likelihood that nothing will change with Burton as police chief.


This also means that is highly likely that Burton will be the fall-guy for the failed police department policies of city manager App. I believe many of the new policies under the Solomon regime very likely originated with App, but it was Solomon who took the fall for the citizen outcry.


Certainly, Solomon’s sexual assaults on her subordinates was of her own doing, but there was plenty of city outrage about the other crap initiated on her watch.


But I believe the brain behind the unpopular policies (i.e., the illegal ticket quota system, the reduced police responses to incidents, etc.) came from App.


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