ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE TERRY McMANUS
Growing up in a law enforcement family in Vallejo California, Assistant Chief of Police Terry McManus always knew that law enforcement was his path as well.
After finishing college at the University of San Francisco, Chief McManus interviewed with several smaller departments in the San Francisco area, but found that no one was hiring.
At the time, the San Diego Police Department was in a major hiring mode with academies of 50+ recruits, so Chief McManus came down to test for SDPD in early 1986 with the plan to gain a few years of experience and then lateral out. However, after almost 30 years, the likelihood of lateraling out has become very slim.
Chief McManus spent most of his early patrol time at Central Division before heading back to work at the Academy for about a year and a half. He then returned to Central as a sergeant there for four years. His next assignment was at Operational Support during some exciting times, including the first BIO Conference in San Diego and a Super Bowl.
In 2001, he went to Domestic Violence and then had assignments in Narcotics and Gangs before being promoted to lieutenant at Mid-City Division.
He served collateral duty as the Executive Officer of S.W.A.T. and then became S.W.A.T. Commanding Officer before heading up the Event Development Management Unit, which oversaw public safety during San Diego’s hosting of the US Open and the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference. He went to Homicide from there and was promoted to Captain at Northeastern Division in August 2009.
Every assignment has had its benefits, but Chief McManus notes that Homicide was one of the most rewarding – as much as it is a tragic and difficult setting, the detectives’ methodical work and effort in each case is amazing to see.
Prior to being assigned to Northeastern, Chief McManus had never spent much time in the division except for the occasional call-outs. Covering 100 square miles and 230,000 people, there is a ton of great work that happens up there on a regular basis. Officers are committed to solving crime of any type and are very responsive to a community that is simultaneously demanding and supportive.
Though he is well-rooted in San Diego now, he still holds his San Francisco loyalties and said that the day the Giants won the World Series was his favorite day in quite a while.
Outside of work, Chief McManus enjoys skiing and snowboarding and any outdoor activity. When his children were younger, Chief McManus enjoyed coaching youth sports so much that he found it more rewarding than actually playing the sports himself in most cases. He looks forward to coaching again at some point in the future.
THE THIN BLUE LINE
