Crum Named Police Chief in Cathedral City

CATHEDRAL CITY — Former Police Chief George Crum is back — as police chief, Uken Report has confirmed.

Crum accepted full-time as the city’s Police Chief on Thursday. He has been serving as acting chief since Feb. 24.  Crum served as Cathedral City’s police chief for three years and had more than 30 years in law enforcement experience.   Crum retired from the city of Cathedral City on November 2, 2017.

“We are very excited to have Police Chief Crum return to Cathedral City,” stated City Manager Charlie McClendon.  “While our police chief for three years, he energized the department, created great community relations, and instituted policies that not only helped lower our crime rate, but addressed complex issues like homelessness.”

Chief Crum will immediately begin his role and will earn a salary equal to his annual salary when he retired in 2017 at $211,331.54.

“I feel it is my duty to leave retirement and come back to Cathedral City as we face these unprecedented times,” Police Chief Crum said in a news release.  “The men and women who work for the Cathedral City Police Department are the finest individuals you can have to protect and serve our residents, businesses and visitors.”

Chief Crum’s leadership and experience will bring certainty back to the department and the community, according to city news release.

The field of candidates for police chief had been narrowed to seven, Communications Manager Chris Parman told Uken Report.

The city contracted with Bob Murray and Associates for an estimated $25,000 at to conduct a national search.  After initial screenings, there were 11 finalists.  From those, City Manager Charlie McClendon met with the recruiter on March 7 and reduced the pool down to seven.

Bob Murray and Associates, based in Roseville, is responsible for recruiting candidates, conducting interviews and performing reference checks, among other things.

They were invited to interview by a committee tentatively on March 20 (unless issues around the Coronavirus prevents it).  Afterwards, the City Manager will make a decision.

The city was looking to hire someone to replace Travis Walker. He parted ways with the city on Nov. 19 after being placed on paid administrative leave for six months. His leave coincided with a lawsuit a Cathedral City police dispatcher filed in which she accused him of sexual harassment.

During Walker’s leave, Anthony Yoakum served as Acting Police Chief. Yoakum submitted a letter of resignation on Feb. 3 to take a job in Beaumont.