Erik Upson, captain in Berkeley, to take reins in Benicia on April 20

Berkeley police Capt. Erik Upson will be Benicia’s next police chief, City Manager Brad Kilger announced Tuesday.

Upson’s first day on duty here will be April 20.

Benicia has been without a permanent police chief since Andrew Bidou announced last year that he had accepted the chief’s position in Vallejo. Bidou started that job Oct. 4, 2014.

Joseph Kreins, who had been hired as interim Vallejo chief when the permanent chief in that city, Robert Nichelini, retired July 1, 2012, initially was Benicia’s interim chief upon Bidou’s departure.

But because of changes in California Public Employees Retirement Service rules, Kreins was unable to work here more than 960 hours in a fiscal year.

When Kreins stepped down, Kilger appointed Lt. Mike Greene as acting chief Jan. 5.

While Greene did not apply for the permanent position, he said he was “more than happy” to take the acting chief’s job while the city continued its search for a new permanent police leader.

Upson has been second in command and acting chief of the Berkeley Police Department, Kilger said.

Upson has spent 17 years in law enforcement. Before joining Berkeley’s police force, he was in the U.S. Army and in the Army National Guard.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California-Berkeley and a master’s degree from California State University-Long Beach, Kilger said. Upson also is a graduate of the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Master Instructor Development School and POST Command College.

“The search for and selection of the city’s new police chief was a very thorough and extensive process, and Erik clearly rose to the top of the class,” Kilger said.

“The city of Benicia is very fortunate to hire someone like Erik, who not only has exceptional technical skills and leadership qualities, but is also highly praised by all those who have worked for him and with him,” he said.

Upson said he is “excited about being a part of the future of this community and its police department.”

Throughout the process of his hiring, he said, he became impressed by “the exceptional sense of support and community that exists between the Benicia Police Department, city of Benicia staff and elected officials, and the people they all serve.”

Upson added, “I am honored to have been selected for this position, and I look forward to working with the men and women of the Benicia Police Department.”