The Top Brass

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Assistant Chief Mike McDonald

This 21-year APD veteran became the APD's first black assistant chief in 1995. Last year he became an acting assistant city manager to Toby Futrell -- prompting the widespread speculation that he is being groomed to take over as chief if and when Knee leaves. He is serving as chief of city staff, and overseeing the APD's accreditation and inspections. In 1997, two APD whistleblower lawsuits and a civil service arbitration hearing considered testimony possibly implicating McDonald in the Jim Everett-era Kallestad/Shaw scandals. He was never directly charged with any wrongdoing, and the city formally apologized to him and paid his legal fees in connection with the matter.

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Assistant Chief Jim Fealy

Another 26-year veteran, promoted to the fifth floor by Knee in January 2000. As assistant chief, Fealy is in charge of the Community Policing North Bureau and oversees the Northwest, Northeast, Central West, and Downtown Area Commands.

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Assistant Chief Rudy Landeros

A 21-year department veteran, also promoted to assistant chief in January 2000. Landeros is in charge of the Community Policing South Bureau, managing the Southwest, Southeast, and Central East Commands as well as the department's Central Traffic and StarCenter units.

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Assistant Chief Rick Coy

Knee promoted this 26-year veteran officer to assistant chief in January 2000. Coy is in charge of Professional Standards Community Policing and the Community Policing Support Bureau, and is acting chief of staff. His purview includes oversight of the Internal Affairs Division, the focus of current internal APD debate over disparate disciplinary actions. In 1995, Coy was commander of the Organized Crime Unit, and oversaw the APD investigators assigned to the Mala Sangre narcotics investigation.

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Assistant Chief Jimmy Chapman

This 23-year veteran also made assistant chief in January 2000, and oversees the department's Central Investigation Division, Organized Crime Unit, Special Operations (including the SWAT team), and Homeland Defense Unit. As a lieutenant in the mid-Nineties, Chapman managed the department's Major Narcotics Unit, and he remains a central figure in the allegations surrounding the Mala Sangre narcotics investigation. Specifically, some officers have alleged that Chapman thwarted attempts to pursue investigations of the potential drug-related criminal activities of numerous APD officers. A new whistleblower suit alleging Mala Sangre-related misconduct by Chapman was filed in May.