Laguna’s new police chief arrives with experience, enthusiasm
Laguna Beach’s new police chief knows that making connections with people is key, which is why she spent the first two weeks on the job getting to know department employees.
“I’m about half-way there,” Chief Laura Farinella said Tuesday in her office. “But I will meet with everyone. It’s important to get a historical perspective, to know the culture and organization and glean from that what the organization’s goals and needs are.”
For Farinella, the city’s first female police chief and reportedly the first openly gay chief in Orange County, Laguna Beach represents a new chapter in her career.
“I’ve lived in Orange County for more than half of my life and love Laguna Beach,” said Farinella, 51. “It’s always been a destination for my family. It’s a great place to be.”
The San Fernando Valley native and current Rancho Santa Margarita resident spent the last 25 years with the Long Beach Police Department, including the last four as deputy chief.
For 10 years there, Farinella led various divisions, including those focused on gangs and violent crimes.
“You have more of a mindset of a small community instead of a large city, so I tried to go to different community groups, get input from different stakeholders and see where there are gaps,” Farinella said of her division assignments.
A former colleague of hers in Long Beach, current L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, said Farinella is likely to bring that approach to Laguna, and he predicts she will be quite successful with it.
“She gets that role and believes we are stronger and better when we work with the community and are not just in the community,” McDonnell wrote in an email. “She will hold herself to a high standard and those she is working with and brings a wealth of experience to the job.”
Laguna Beach City Manager John Pietig selected Farinella, who graduated from the FBI’s National Academy and National Executive Institute, to replace Paul Workman, who retired after 38 years with the agency, the last four as chief.
As Laguna Beach considers the best approach to caring for the homeless while protecting residents’ quality of life, the city and support organizations need to work together, Farinella said
“Laguna is doing an outstanding job,” she said.
She commended the Alternative Sleeping Location, a facility in Laguna Canyon operated by the Friendship Shelter that offers beds and a meal to 45 people every night.
“We have to look at it from a compassionate standpoint,” Farinella said. “Some, but not all homeless have mental illness or chemical dependency. You can’t arrest your way out of a situation.
“If a homeless person has urinated in public, or there has been a misdemeanor vandalism, an officer either makes a choice to arrest or cite the person. An arrest is not always the resolution to the problem.”
Farinella mentioned a partnership between Long Beach and Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health that enabled an officer and medical clinician to respond to service calls together.
As an example, someone may call reporting a man standing in the middle of the street, Farinella said. The officer would determine whether a crime was committed, while the clinician could asses the person’s mental state and refer him to help if needed.
Farinella said she thrives on the excitement each day brings and expects dedication from herself and her officers.
“If you don’t want to do a great job, that will be a problem,” Farinella said. “You have to have integrity in everything you do, be reliable and do what you say you are going to do.”
Farinella attended the Police Department’s bike rodeo on Sunday and introduced herself to the Laguna Beach Unified School District board Tuesday night.
The city will officially swear in Farinella during a public ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday at the Laguna Beach Community & Susi Q Center, 380 Third St.