Mesa Police Chief Frank Milstead Announces Department
Reorganization
May 16, 2011
Chief Milstead announced organizational changes today, including
the promotion of two new assistant police chiefs. Commander
Kathy Kirkham and Commander Heston Silbert have been promoted to
the rank of Assistant Chief.
Commander Kirkham has been with the department 18 years. She
will oversee the Investigations Bureau. Commander Silbert
has been with the department for six months. He recently retired
from the Phoenix Police Department after 22 years. He will
oversee the Operations Bureau. Assistant Chief Michael Dvorak
will be assigned to the rank of Deputy Chief, overseeing
Forensic Services and Homeland Defense.
Command-level management has been reduced by these
organizational changes. The moves were prompted by the
retirements of two command staff members over the past six
months. "This decision was difficult, but based on my
observations of the operations of the Mesa Police Department
over the last 14 months, my approach was to lean down upper
management at the police department while maintaining critical
staffing levels for our front line officers," stated Chief
Milstead. "This is about cost saving and efficiency."