Hayward police chief on administrative leave

Police Chief Diane Stuart has been placed on administrative leave over a personnel issue, officers said Monday night.

Capt. Mark Koller was appointed acting chief of police by the city manager, the departpartment ment said in a statement. The matter that led to Stuart’s departure would remain confidential, police said.

Stuart was named chief in August 2011, becoming the first woman to head the department in its 13-chief history. She started her law enforcement career in 1986 as a San Jose Police DeHayward officer, serving in a variety of positions including on patrol, on the SWAT team and as a hostage negotiator.

She worked her way through the ranks, overseeing the horsemounted and parks unit as a sergeant and eventually becoming a special operations captain. After several more promotions, she became an assistant chief of police there.

Stuart received a bachelor of science in criminal justice administration from Cal State Hayward and graduated summa cum laude from Boston University, where she earned a master’s in criminal justice, according to an online biography. She also graduated from the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police and the West Point Leadership Program run by the Los Angeles Police Department. Stuart is a member of the program’s teaching staff.