NAACP speaking out about Seaside Police Chief controversy

A non-profit organization in Seaside is urging the city to include them in the hiring process for the new police chief.

Chief Robert Jackson recently announced he would be retiring. The announcement came days after he reposted a racially and politically-charged article on Facebook. He was put on administrative leave before he resigned.

The NAACP said they are outraged about the post. Now, the group and other civil rights groups want to be involved in the hiring and vetting of the next chief to ensure he or she is the best possible candidate.

“We want to have a person from our community, that is from the community, that respects the community, that knows the community, that can grow with the community, to ensure that best practices police work is happening in our community,” said Regina Mason, Branch President with Monterey County’s NAACP.

Group members are also calling for a citizens review committee who can help establish a check-list of protocols, policies and procedures for candidates running for the position.