Lt. Tom Thompson will remain acting chief of police until Monday after Chief Steve Johnson suffered chest pains earlier in the week and was released from a hospital Wednesday.
Johnson spent Tuesday night at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. Johnson suffered from a headache and chest pains, said Detective Mick Gaglia.
Johnson was not feeling well Tuesday afternoon and took a walk down Pier Avenue with his secretary, Gaglia said. After buying a snack, John felt sweaty and experienced pain in his arm in the 200 block of Pier Avenue. His secretary called the fire department and paramedics took Johnson, who was sitting on a bench when they arrived, to the hospital, Gaglia said.
Doctors said Johnson’s heart is healthy, but recommended he not got to work for the rest of the week. Although Johnson will return to work Monday, he participated in a conference call Thursday morning, Gaglia said.
Thompson, 59, stepped in as interim chief earlier in the year when Chief Greg Savelli left to run the Los Angeles parking enforcement division. Thompson has been with the department for 33 years and has served as acting chief many times.
