The Guns-N-Hoses submission fight grappling face-off is the latest inventive fundraiser to be hosted by the San Bernardino City firefighters.

All proceeds, which event planners estimate should be between $7,000 to $10,000, will benefit fallen firefighters and law enforcement officers.

"It's another way that we try to address the age old issue: who is better, cops or firefighters?" said firefighter Tom Rubio. "And if we can bring folks into the city for an event and it benefits a charity, then it's an even better good cause."

The June 20 show will be held at Adrenaline Combat Sports & Fitness in San Bernardino. About 1,000 people are expected to be sitting ringside when the hand-to-hand combat begins.

San Bernardino Mayor Pat Morris said Tuesday that 47 candidates applied for the police chief position, which on Monday went to Bell Gardens chief Keith Kilmer.

"We had no interest from within," Morris said.

Kilmer will replace Police Chief Michael Billdt on June 1.

andrew.edwards@inlandnewspapers.com

SB Now readers may remember that current Police Chief Michael Billdt's resume was not made public until September of last year. The release confirmed that Billdt rose to the rank of chief without earning a four-year degree from an accredited college or university, but did receive one from a now-defunct school in Orange County called August Vollmer University.

Keith Kilmer Announcement and Resume.pdf

andrew.edwards@inlandnewspapers.com

The City Council voted 6-0 on Monday to confirm Mayor Pat Morris' nomination of Kilmer. The mayor was effusive in his praise of Kilmer following the council's vote.

"He is a leader who has demonstrated unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest level of ethics in his department," Morris said.

Kilmer will be charged with leading the Police Department in a city where crime has declined from the violence of mid-decade but remains a significant problem. He, like other department heads, will have to grapple with the recession's effects on the city budget and be counted upon to repair labor-management relations within the Police Department.

"I especially look forward to working with the men and women of the San Bernardino Police Department to show what a truly great department it can be," Kilmer said while addressing city officials and audience member's at Monday's council meeting.

After the council took its vote, Kilmer and police union president Rich Lawhead shook hands outside City Hall. The sight contrasted with the union's stance toward current Police Chief Michael Billdt, against whom the union has taken two no confidence votes.

"We are very excited. We are looking forward to a fresh start,"Lawhead said.

The City Council today voted to appoint Keither Kilmer as the city's new top cop for the next three years. Kilmer, who has been police chief in Bell Gardens for three years, was previously police commander in Long Beach. He will replace outgoing Police Chief Michael Billdt.

Kilmer will earn an annual salary of $203,700, according to his contract. His contract already includes a 10 percent concession that most city employees have already agreed to.

Kilmer, a 30-year veteran, has earned 75 commendations "for his outstanding performance in the department and community," according to a news release from Mayor Pat Morris'office.

A panel has spent several months interviewing candidates, picking Kilmer from a pool of 48.
Kilmer said community policing strategies already in effect "have created a foundation upon which to make San Bernardino a model for public safety in urban cities."

He is married with four children. The Kilmer family plans to move to San Bernardino in the near future.

Kilmer's contract includes a $5,000 stipend for temporary housing and a $5,000 stipend to relocate, both of which are contingent upon him living in San Bernardino.

stacia.glenn@inlandnewspapers.com

The City Council voted in closed session and announced Bell Gardens Police Chief Keith Kilmer as the city's new top cop. Kilmer, who is present at the council meeting, will replace Police Chief Michael Billdt.

Council members will decide whether or not to ratify the mayor's selection behind closed doors.

"If the council takes action in closed session, there will be a public announcement," Jim Morris said in a phone message.

The city has been searching for a successor for Police Chief Michael Billdt, who has already retired but is remaining in his position until a new chief can be appointed.