By Jane Smith
Jeff Goldman has traded his badge and Delray Beach police chief uniform for a suit-and-tie job as acting assistant city manager.
He was tapped by City Manager Mark Lauzier to spend the remaining months of his police career overseeing the operations and budget of the police, fire-rescue, parks and recreation, and community improvement departments.
Goldman’s first business suit day was Aug. 1.
“When I first arrived, I noticed the Police Department was well-run,” Lauzier said. “It will give Goldman a chance to do something else while we test his two assistants.”
Assistant Police Chief Mary Olsen will run the department until Dec. 21. Even though Goldman worked on the Police Department budget, he let Olsen give the presentation on Aug. 14 to city commissioners. After presenting the facts, Olsen, following the style of other department heads, then pointed out that five police officer positions were not funded, creating an $875,210 gap.
Olsen served as acting police chief in West Palm Beach three years before moving to the Delray Beach Police Department in 2014.
After her stint is over, Assistant Chief Javaro Sims will take over for 4½ months until May 15. Sims was hired in 1992.
Goldman, who joined the department in 1989, is enrolled in the state retirement program for government workers. His police career is one filled with promotions: sergeant, lieutenant, captain and assistant chief before being named police chief in 2014. His last day will be in May.
He likes to tout his community-police relations as one of his successes. Goldman attends community events where he moves around on a Delray Beach police scooter.
At the first Budget Town Hall on Aug. 2, Goldman said he looks forward to working with the department heads to see whether that career path interests him.
“It will give Goldman a chance to see if he likes working for me,” Lauzier said on Aug. 14. “And whether I like how he works.”
If it works out, Goldman could move over to the city manager’s office next year, Lauzier said.
Goldman will be Lauzier’s third assistant city manager.
Previous city managers had two assistants.
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