Before becoming a part of Chico City Council, Michael O’Brien was the city’s police chief for five years.
O’Brien
O’Brien has a long background in law enforcement and announced his retirement in 2020 after 28 years with the Chico Police Department. After some time off, O’Brien put his hat in the ring for an appointment to the council.
Initially appointed to fill a short-term seat on the council in 2021 and serving the remainder of the term, O’Brien announced his candidacy to run in District 1 based on the new districting map for the seat formerly held by Sean Morgan who is choosing not to run again.
The big issue
With an extensive background in policing, O’Brien’s key focuses are through the lens of public safety.
“I know this community well,” O’Brien said. “I think I’ve always tried to be respectful in my passionate views of this city. Obviously I’m very tied to safety because I think that really is a foundation for everything we do in the community.”
O’Brien reflected on recent issues that have impacted Chico such as homelessness and the COVID-19 pandemic and said he believes in a community balance of compassion and accountability.
“I understand the need to provide compassionate opportunities for people that are without a house, but at the same time we cannot forget about the rest of the community,” Obrien said. “It really is a balance of compassion and accountability. And those two things go together, they are not enemies.”
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In regards to the Warren v. Chico settlement, O’Brien said he hopes to figure out ways to get out from beneath clauses that he believes have hindered the city’s ability to provide service while also creating a safe community.
O’Brien said he wants to continue pushing for public safety as a means of raising the quality of life within Chico, adding that he is committed to promoting the wellbeing of the city.
“If you don’t feel safe where you live, if you don’t feel safe where you conduct your business, if you don’t feel safe where you recreate and don’t feel safe in your schools, it really impacts quality of life to a point where it diminishes that ability,” O’Brien said.
Ballots for the 2024 November election are scheduled to be mailed out on Oct. 7.
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