City Manager Steve Falk said in a letter to the community earlier this month that Christensen and his deputies have lifted up the Lafayette community in ways both expected and unexpected and, in so doing, have established a new benchmark for effective community policing in the city.
"During his six years with Lafayette, Chief Christensen has employed a variety of techniques and technologies to solve and reduce crimes, prepare the community for emergencies, address bias, and empower people and their neighborhoods," said Falk. "He's done it with intelligence, humor, an unrelenting work ethic, and a generosity of spirit that he has extended to everybody he encounters."
Christensen says that so far his time in Lafayette has been the best assignment he has had in his career within the sheriff's office. He says he will miss the people of the Lafayette community most of all.
"I have had the opportunity to make a lot of good friends here in the city and I will miss all of them," said Christensen, adding, "It's always seemed that we were working together to make our neighborhoods a little safer."
Christensen says he is accepting a captain's job at Oakley PD, pointing out that it will cut his commute from an hour and a half to 15 minutes. "It will make a big difference for me and my family," he said.
Falk says that he is in contact with Sheriff David Livingston's office and will be receiving resumes from lieutenants interested in the police chief job. As Mayor Don Tatzin announced at the March 12 city council meeting, a group of people from the community will interview the candidates and then, since the police chief reports to the city manager, Falk will make the final selection.
Falk expects to be able to make an appointment near the end of this month.
Christensen's retirement party will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 29 at the Veteran's Memorial Center, 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette.Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA