Redwood City honors retiring Police Chief Dan Mulholland

After a career spanning almost four decades, including a five-year stint as the chief of police, retiring Police Chief Dan Mulholland was honored by the Redwood City Council.

Mulholland joined the Redwood City Police Department in 1985 as a community service officer before becoming a police officer two years later. In 2018, Mulholland was appointed the chief of police by the city council, succeeding then-Police Chief JR Gamez. Gary Kirby was acting police chief at the time of Mulholland's appointment, but he served as deputy chief before and after his temporary role as acting chief, according to City manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz.

In 2021, Mulholland received his POST Executive Certification, which was given based on his years of service and numerous promotions.

During Mulholland’s tenure as the chief of police, he prioritized the mental wellness of his employees. He reintegrated the Peer Support Team, created an anonymous wellness app that could be used by anyone in the department, and reintroduced police chaplains for moral and emotional support. 

At a time when the relationship between communities and their police departments had soured due to the death of George Floyd, Mulholland responded by adapting his department to the changing environment. 

When thousands of demonstrators were organizing a protest in the Courthouse Square in the days following the death of George Floyd, Mulholland responded to concerns from both sides by expressing his “outrage” toward the death and by reiterating the RCPD’s commitment to serving Redwood City’s “amazing and diverse community.” 

Mulholland also heavily influenced the launch of the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team in Redwood City. The pilot program, created in collaboration with three other Bay Area police departments, integrated mental health clinicians into calls involving someone suffering from a mental health crisis. This came after nationwide calls for a change in how police departments respond to mental health emergencies. 

In addition to helping create the Crisis Response Team, Mulholland influenced the creation of Redwood City’s first Police Advisory Committee. This committee was made up of different community members to demonstrate the department's transparency and willingness to listen. They first met in June 2021 and have continued to meet at least once a month every month since then.

The City Council recognized Mulholland’s years of service at their meeting on May 22.

At the May 22 city council meeting, Mayor Jeff Gee was the first to address Mulholland. 

“Whereas Dan Mulholland has tirelessly carried out his duties and responsibilities throughout his exemplary career as a law enforcement officer and chief, with an inclusive management perspective and commitment to the safety and well-being of our community and employees, earning the respect and admiration of his fellow officers and community members alike,” Gee said.

Council member Chris Sturken reiterated Mulholland’s willingness to adapt his department to a changing political and social landscape. 

“Thank you very much for your commitment to Redwood City, to service, to listening to the community, and commitment to change and growth as a department, Sturken said.”

Stevenson Diaz highlighted Mulholland’s efforts toward increasing diversity in his department. 

“You have worked to enhance representation within the department and help us continue to meet our goals of reflecting the community that we serve,” Stevenson Diaz said.

While the number of upper-ranking female officers has remained the same, the number of upper-ranking officers of color has increased significantly under Mulholland’s tenure. 

Council member and former mayor Diane Howard addressed Mulholland’s leadership she said he showed during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The last several years when we were going through COVID I’d like to particularly highlight,” she said. “For myself, I served as mayor during Covid, and I have to say honestly that I could not have done what I did, and our council couldn’t have done the work they did without your steady, calm leadership with your public safety.” 

Mulholland will continue to serve as the chief of police officially until June 5. Kristina Bell, who has been serving as a San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Captain since 2020, was appointed to replace Mulholland in June as the next chief of police.

Before the city council meeting, a reception was held in Mulholland’s honor outside the council chambers, which was well attended by city officials, police and community members.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the date of Bell's start date. She will start in June. The story also incorrectly Kirby's role before Mulholland's role as chief.