Darren Goodman will remain in the capacity of Upland police chief, at least for the time being, the Sentinel has learned.
A report circulating last week was that Goodman, who began as Upland’s police chief in July 2018 following a 27-year career with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department which featured his then-most recent assignment as a captain heading the division of that department serving as the contract police department for the City of Chino Hills, was on the brink of resigning, or had resigned, his position in Upland.
Details were unclear, but reportedly, Goodman, who has a PhD, was concerned that a provision in his contract with Upland would allow a simple majority of the city council to direct the city manager to fire him without cause. Reportedly, Goodman, concerned with the lack of stability and rationality on the council, wanted a language change requiring that his firing only be able to take place if a defined cause was cited. The police department in Riverside, where Goodman resides, was said to have expressed an interest in hiring him into a senior administrative post.
To a Sentinel inquiry, Goodman on Tuesday, March 3 wrote, “I have not resigned from the Upland Police Department.”
-M.G.