Kelly McMillin

Thirty-two years ago, Kelly McMillin was sleeping on the floor in his new home in Hollister when the phone rang. It was a group of defense attorneys from San Diego, the city he had just left. They told him he had failed to appear in court to offer testimony on a case, and because he failed to appear in court, they had a warrant for his arrest. It was a shock, to say the least. McMillin was starting his job at the Salinas Police Department the next day. Eventually, the circumstances were resolved after McMillin explained there was a misunderstanding. Nonetheless, his career as a Salinas police officer started with a zing.

Fast forward to Sept. 27, 2016: McMillin is sitting at the Weekly office, clad in his police uniform, just three days away from retirement. He has served as the Salinas police chief for four years, after spending the previous 28 years working patrol, gangs, narcotics, administration and as a detective. Recalling his career, McMillin shares his wildest stories as a cop in Salinas, and other insights about what the job meant to him.

Weekly: You worked Salinas for many years. You must have so many crazy stories. What’s the most memorable?

McMillin: The most scared I’ve ever been was during a big gangster operation and I was running our gang unit at the time. We were listening on a wiretap to a conversation and they were saying they were on their way to assassinate someone. They got the guns and they were talking about who they were going to go after and I was on the phone with my wife – my son was a newborn at that time. I was sitting in my car, full SWAT kit ready to go and knowing I was going to get in a gunfight that day. (For the full story, visit www.mcweekly.com.)

What did you say to your wife?

I love you, kiss the baby, asking how is everybody. I didn’t talk to her about what was going on.

Is there one arrest you are really proud of?

We were able to take out some really high-level gang members. The [Nuestra Familia] gang leadership we arrested at that time was the most dangerous in Salinas.

What is one thing people don’t understand about the job?

It’s a lot harder than you think.

Will you be nostalgic?

The best days that you’ll have, the most fun you’ll have, is as a police sergeant because you are still on the street and you are still doing the work. I had that job and it was the most fun. I talk to retired police chiefs and we always joke about that last year taking a voluntary demotion to that position.

What’s the best joke you’ve heard in the office?

I could never tell you on record (laughs). The wit and back-and-forth at the office is the best humor. We say that being a police officer means you never have to grow up.

What are three things you really want Adele Fresé, your replacement, to know about Salinas?

Number one, commit to knowing the department. She needs to get to know that and the cops need to know her. She needs to also learn the community and the neighborhoods. And really from there, she will figure out the best way forward. I hope I left her a good framework.

During your tenure there’s been officer-involved shootings, layoffs, police weapons being stolen, a department overhaul. As a leader of the department, how do you deliver bad news?

Cops will see right through bullshit, and you can quote me on that. So when there’s bad news afoot you bring it on and you just speak directly to it. Sugarcoating anything in law enforcement just doesn’t work.

What are you going to do after retiring?

I am going on a short vacation to disconnect and have a clean break. Then I’ll come back and I committed to my wife that I wouldn’t do anything until the first of the year. It’s a family commitment to take time off and not just jump into the next thing. But I am interested in education, always have been.

Now that you will have more time off, tell me about your interests. Favorite action movie?

A movie that I just stop and watch no matter what is Saving Private Ryan.

Favorite band?

Dropkick Murphys.

Favorite snack?

At 3pm every day I would roam through the office looking for the candy dish. Milk chocolates.