Commerce City shook up its top echelon this week, moving police chief Troy Smith to the position of interim deputy city manager and naming Lowell Richardson, deputy police chief for operations, as the city’s new interim top cop.
The moves came after a decision by deputy city manager James Hayes to leave Commerce City for the city manager post in Northglenn.
Commerce City spokeswoman Michelle Halstead said Thursday that the reshuffling at the city’s top leadership level, which went into effect Monday, was the result of an effort by city manager Brian McBroom to change the “long-term organizational structure” of the city of nearly 52,000.
She said recent discontent among rank-and-file police officers, , had nothing to do with the moves.
Smith will continue to oversee the police department from his new post, she said.
“This will allow him to continue focusing on reform efforts at a higher level,” she said, noting that officers in Commerce City will begin wearing body cameras this summer.
Halstead said the interim positions will run for six months, at which point McBroom will make a decision on who stays, goes or changes roles.
Commerce City also named long-time city staffer Roger Tinklenberg as a second interim deputy city manager — a newly added position — to serve alongside Smith.
John Aguilar: 303-954-1695, jaguilar@denverpost.com or @abuvthefold
