Mindy Casto named Fresno's first female Police Chief

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)—The Fresno Police Department's hunt for a caller constabulary chief, pursuing Chief Paco Balderramma's resignation, has ended. On Thursday, Mindy Casto was announced arsenic Fresno's 24th constabulary chief.

It was June 2024 erstwhile erstwhile constabulary Paco Balderramma resigned pursuing the revelation that Balderramma had been progressive successful an inappropriate relationship involving different officer's wife. At that time, Casto was appointed arsenic Interim Chief arsenic the hunt for a caller constabulary main began.

City Manager Georgeanne White says astir 40 assemblage leaders consulted to assistance find a caller main that would champion acceptable the civilization and ambient of Fresno.

In August 2024, Public Sector Search and Consulting (PSSC) was hired to hunt to expedite the hunt and PSSC's Kenton Buckner interviewed hundreds of candidates.

According to Fresno Mayor Dyer, Casto excelled during the interrogation process and was poised during the full process. Dyer says that Buckner told him Casto "Possessed each the indispensable qualities of a constabulary chief."

Dyer says helium is arrogant to person an serviceman he's worked with personally and trusts to measurement up to the presumption of Police Chief.

"Having idiosyncratic from the wrong is simply a plus," Dyer said during Thursday's announcement. "To cognize that idiosyncratic is homegrown - is truthful important to me, this is her home."

Dyer says successful her clip arsenic Interim Chief, Casto handled 3 captious incidents wrong the constabulary section that demonstrated her professionalism and capability.

As Interim Chief, Casto handled the apprehension of an serviceman for kid porn, the termination of a pistillate serviceman and a shooting successful which an serviceman was changeable aggregate times.

Casto says she's grateful for each that has happened and anxious for each that is to come.

"I person been fixed truthful overmuch by this assemblage and this department," Casto said. "I cognize overmuch is expected of me, I volition unrecorded up to those expectations."