Behind the Badge
Capt. Todd Elgin, who began his career with the Garden Grove Police Department 27 years ago as a recruit, has been selected to replace Kevin Raney as chief of police, effective Jan. 1.
City Manager Matt Fertal said Elgin and Capt. Travis Whitman, who both were competing for the position, were top-level candidates.
“I can’t say enough about how gratifying it is to see this level of quality professionalism in the department,” Fertal said in a statement released by the city Friday.
Elgin has been a captain since 2008.
“Todd has proven himself as a knowledgeable professional who relates well with staff and is a respected leader in the department,” Fertal said in a statement.
In a letter to department employees, Raney, who began his career with the Garden Grove PD in 1976 and who has been chief of police since January 2011, said he will work with Elgin and Whitman during the transition period to identify and promote new captains, lieutenants and sergeants.
“This will obviously require a great deal of planning as the impact to the department will also create movement in all ranks in the organization,” Raney wrote. “This will be an exciting yet challenging chapter in the history of this department.”
Elgin became a Garden Grove police officer in 1988. In 1998 he was promoted to sergeant, in 2002 to lieutenant, and later to captain in 2008.
In his statement, Fertal said Elgin has excelled at every assignment during his 27 years of service, from patrol officer to his role in SWAT and the Gang Suppression unit and in his current assignment as captain.
A detailed profile of Elgin will appear this coming week on BehindTheBadgeOC.com.
