Kensington nears new police chief appointment

The Kensington Police Department will have a new interim chief/general manager soon if the community’s governing board approves the selected candidate at its next meeting, according to Kensington officials.

On Wednesday, the Kensington Police and Community Services District voted 3-2 to select former Santa Clara police chief Kevin Kyle for the job, community officials said.

The board will have to reaffirm its decision on Nov. 10, when it formally votes on his contract, said district board chairman Len Welsh.

But that leaves a leadership gap for several days, so Welsh has asked departing interim chief/general manager Kevin Hart to stay on as general manager while the board finalizes Kyle’s contract.

Rickey Hull, a current police department employee, will act as interim chief until Kyle, who still must undergo a background check, can take the job, Welsh said.

Both moves will require board approval, Welsh said.

If Kyle is affirmed as the new interim chief/general manager, he will work for roughly 25 to 30 hours per week until Jan. 2018, unless a permanent replacement chief is found before then.