Palm Springs bids emotional farewell to Chief Andy Mills, honors wife Cathy as new chief steps in

When Andy Mills arrived in Palm Springs in October 2021, he told his new department that the badge on their chests was not primarily about authority.

“It represents service, trust, compassion, accountability, and a commitment to serve our people,” said Lt. Michael Torres, who served as master of ceremonies at a retirement celebration for Mills on Thursday evening, describing the message Mills brought to the department.

The Palm Springs Police Officers Association organized the event, which drew hundreds of people to the Palm Springs Convention Center to mark the end of Mills’ tenure leading the department. Mills was presented with a custom Winchester rifle, and the department gave him a shadow box with badges and other items marking his career.

In announcing his retirement in July, Mills described Palm Springs as the “crown jewel” of his career and said he and his wife, Cathy, plan to move to the Sacramento area to be closer to his mother.

Torres said that under Mills, the department “embrace[d] a community-first approach” and raised its expectations for how it served residents, businesses and visitors.

Whether or not people always agreed with him, Torres said, “he always made you think.”

“This is what true leaders do,” Torres said. “They challenge us, they inspire us, and sometimes even make you feel a little uncomfortable.”

Mayor Naomi Soto addressed the crowd in person, telling Mills he had brought “a willingness to listen” to the department and spent his tenure showing residents that “effective policing is more than responding to calls.”

Other members of the City Council attended the ceremony as well, with their remarks played for the audience in a prerecorded video.

“Throughout all this time, you had a friendly sidekick, Cathy,” Councilmember Ron deHarte said in the video. “The two of you have changed the tone of policing in Palm Springs, and you’ve changed the culture within the Palm Springs Police Department.”

Cathy Mills’ role over the past five years was a recurring theme of the evening.

Torres called her “the mama bear of the police department,” recalling how she showed up to department and community events for years, homemade brownies in hand.

“You didn’t just support Chief Mills’ career; you became part of it,” Torres told her. She was then presented with a Tiffany’s bracelet engraved “Mama Mills, love your P.S. community.”

Chief Mills echoed that sentiment in his own remarks.

“Cathy, I’m a good chief, but nothing without you,” he said, calling her his “partner, mate, confidant, cheerleader.” He credited her with unwavering support during 22 moves over the course of his career, all while raising their children while he worked long hours.

Mills also reflected on the city itself.

“It’s a community where people give of themselves to help others,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The evening marked an early public moment for incoming Chief Kyle Stjerne, announced earlier this week as Mills’ successor. Stjerne wore shoes styled after Mills’ before turning to more serious remarks.

“These shoes may be easy to imitate, but the example that Andy has set in so many important ways will be considerably harder to emulate,” Stjerne said.

Stjerne said the relationships built by Mills and Cathy Mills “belong to their legacy,” but pledged to build on them.

“Community engagement isn’t a program. It’s not a slogan. It’s not a single event,” Stjerne said. “It is a core value of progressive policing, and that standard, that core value, will remain a bedrock of the Palm Springs Police Department moving forward under my leadership.”

Mills told the crowd he had spent recent years deliberately preparing Stjerne and the department’s leadership team for the transition.

“This team is ready to rock and roll,” Mills said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that this city will be better for it.”

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