Police PIO Leaving Post

Berkeley Police Sgt. Mary Kusmiss, reluctantly thrown into the spotlight when Chief Michael Meehan dispatched her to a reporter's home in March to request questions to a story, is leaving her post as public information officer.

Kusmiss will return to patrol duty as a supervisor come June 24. 

For more than two years she worked patrol in the graveyard shift, then moved up to supervisor of area coordinators and the Community Service Bureau, where she remained for four years. She has been the voice of the department, juggling numerous media and community requests for more than two years. 

"Patrol Supervision is more hands-on in the field," she said. "We manage a team of officers, coordinate, make decisions, review reports, supervise, write performance appraisal reports, go to court," and more.

Controversy has coincided with her tenure. 

A news story about police handling of the Feb. 18 murder of a hills resident incorrectly reported that at a March 8 community meeting, Meehan apologized for slow response. At 12:45 a.m., after trying unsuccessfully to reach the reporter by phone, he sent Kusmiss to his home. An uproar over police practices followed.

The chief came under fire again in May when it emerged that back in January he had sent 10 officers, some on overtime, to track down his son's stolen cell phone.

Kusmiss has used her position to educate the public about police work and crime prevention.