Long Beach names Ed Ryan as acting police commissioner while search for permanent top cop goes on

Inspec. Ed Ryan, a veteran member of the Long Beach Police Department, has been named acting commissioner while the city decides on a permanent replacement to Michael Tangney, who retired at the end of May after 42 years on the force.

Ryan was sworn in last week by Acting City Manager Donna Gayden at City Hall.

In a brief interview earlier this week, Ryan said that who will become the city's permanent police commissioner "is still in flux." Ryan is among those in the running.

John McNally, executive assistant to Gayden, said the search for a permanent commissioner is ongoing and applications will be accepted until June 12.

Another name that has surfaced is Charles Rubin, a deputy chief for school safety in the New York City Police Department. At a city council meeting recently, council members confirmed that Rubin has submitted an application for the Long Beach post. Rubin could not be reached for comment.

The department, established in 1911, has approximately 69 sworn officers. It has a detective division, a narcotics task force, a street crime unit, a traffic division, a motorcycle unit and an identification division. It uses bicycle patrols on the boardwalk for major events such as races and bike tours. Four-wheel drive vehicles patrol on the beach.

Tangney said he was retiring because his salary had been cut by $60,000 in the current fiscal year while the city works its way through significant debt, the result of poor planning by previous administrations and over-estimates of incoming revenue.

Ryan said, "A number of individuals are in line" for the job of top cop. "I'm sure the best person will be chosen."