Colleagues Sing Praises Of City's New Police Chief -- Steve Jensen Will Take Up Post On April 1

LYNNWOOD - Colleagues from the Oakland Police Department say incoming Lynnwood Police Chief Steve Jensen combines dynamic street-cop smarts with excellent people skills.

Jensen, 45, who will take over April 1 for retiring Chief Larry Kalsbeek, has built a wide foundation while working for the California department 24 years.

Jensen was named Lynnwood's new police chief yesterday.

He has supervised the department's 125-detective criminal-investigations unit the past 2 1/2 years. Before that, he oversaw the department's training division and several special units aimed at curbing violent street crime.

"He has a reputation of being one of our most dynamic commanders," said Oakland Police Sgt. Tony Hare. "He was able to build these task forces from the ground up, supplementing our department with resources from the county, state and federal level."

One of those task forces targeted Oakland's high-crime neighborhoods, going after handguns and street criminals.

Jensen, who was the department's youngest captain when promoted 13 years ago, said he looks forward to the new challenges he'll face as chief of a growing suburban city.

Moving from a city of 375,000 that averages more than 155 slayings a year to a city of 31,000 that had one slaying last year will mean a lot of changes, he said. But police work has similarities wherever you go, he said. In Lynnwood, he said, the top concerns appear to revolve around traffic, youth crime, particularly around drugs and gangs, and other problems associated with being a city with high commercial activity.

As leader of Lynnwood's department, which includes 50 officers and 20 civilians, he said he'll rely on the same consensus style he's always used.

"I try to get as many people involved in the decision-making process as possible," he said. "It seems like they'll be used to that because that's how it's been done there."

Mayor Tina Roberts selected Jensen from among three finalists after the field was narrowed from 125 by a five-person board. She said she chose Jensen because of his management style, belief in community policing and wide range of experience, which also includes emergency management.

During the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in the San Francisco Bay area, Jensen supervised the department's response to the area that included the collapse of a double-deck highway. He also was a supervisor during the city's 1991 fires in which 5,000 homes were destroyed.

Oakland Deputy Police Chief Marvin Young called Jensen well-rounded, with particular strengths in planning, administration, training and the execution of tactical efforts.

"He's got a great deal of capability," Young said. "He's done good jobs in a lot of different assignments."

Jensen, married with no children, said he heard about the job from friends who live in the Seattle area. He and his wife became interested in the Northwest after several visits.

Roberts said Jensen will be paid about $65,000, although the exact salary had yet to be determined.