Hail and farewell to retiring Police Chief Beverly Lennen.
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SFR: So you're leaving us, chief. What are your plans?
BL
: I have made the decision to retire [at the end of February] and will be leaving the state. We'll be relocating to an area of Arizona we've been looking at for many years. Our son beat us out there with his family, and I have two granddaughters out there. Mostly, I owe my 14-year-old daughter a lot of time. And that's number one on my priority list.
I heard somewhere you were going to open a bar in Phoenix.
No bar.
What has been the most difficult aspect of being police chief in Santa Fe?
[Laughs] We work in a very liberal community while having some challenging crime problems. It's a very delicate balance.
It's been said as chief for the last few years you've improved relations with the community. At the same time, there's been talk that you've struggled to get along with the rank and file officers.
Well, I can tell you that we have a great working relationship with our union. We meet regularly to discuss issues. I think the absence of grievances over the last two years is an indication that we are working well together.
What's up with Santa Fe Police officers constantly pulling people over for speeding, but once something serious happens the cops always seem to be a step behind?
[Laughs] We hear on a daily basis the priority the community wants to put on traffic enforcement, speeding, reckless driving, cell phone use. But yet, when we stop someone, we're stopping one of the neighbors who actually complained about the problem. The response our officers get is, 'I'm not a criminal! Why don't you go out and deal with the real crime.'
I think I might have said that once or twice.
On the flip side, I don't think anyone can honestly take away from the improvements which have been made. We're not hearing about unsolved homicides anymore. Our solution rate on all crimes has gone up while our crime rate has gone down. I'm very proud of the work our officers have done.
It seems like I've heard more about local cops in bad situations than good ones: the officer who was on the cell phone and crashed into a car, the taser incident at Capital High…
That's your own perception that it's bad. There's been no evidence that the officer was on a cell phone. Sounds like you're presuming. As far as the taser incident, we've downloaded the computer in that taser, and clearly, as the detective stated, there was a single taser hit, not multiple ones.
What do you think your legacy will be?
Legacy seems like an ego trip. I hope my legacy is very simply that the partnerships we've forged over the last several years will not only continue but strengthen. I hope that people will continue to appreciate the work our officers are doing and be less critical of a very difficult job that very few people want to do. And, for our officers, I hope that they will maintain the pride, the success and the feeling of achievement that they're expressing right now. This is one of the best departments in the state. I know we have our detractors. But we have far more supporters.
What are you going to miss most about police work?
I don't really think I'm going to miss police work. There is life after law enforcement. I'm looking at this change as a new beginning. I am going to miss the people and our beautiful mountains.
Are you getting dressed up for Halloween?
I dress up every Halloween as part of a haunted house we put on for the neighborhood kids. This year is a surprise. Last year, I was a cross between a villainess and a Mardi Gras character. I whited my face out, had on a very large feather mask, dark clothing with a chain mail cape. I usually sit in a chair on the porch with a large cauldron of candy next to me and just wait for the little kids to come in and ring the doorbell. And I say 'Happy Halloween!'
Perhaps more than anything, you're known for your hair style. What is the secret behind it?
Which one?
Take us through the different hair phases.
About five years ago, I had what most people would refer to as the cowgirl cut. Shorter on top and long wavy hair in the back. Frankly, from that point it continued to get shorter. I needed to simplify and take a lot less time. Just get back to basics.
How much time did it take to maintain the cowgirl cut?
It wasn't so much maintaining it, it's what would happen if a strong breeze came by. I had so much hair, it became very difficult to see. I had to recognize it was an officer safety issue as well…But when I retire, it's coming back!
