After five years on the job as Salinas’ first female chief of police, Adele Fresé, has announced her retirement. She held a press conference about her departure on Wednesday at city hall.”On a personal level this will be a huge adjustment,” said Salinas Police Chief Adele Fresé during a press conference Wednesday.”I am going to miss it tremendously, but I have a feeling that I’ll get to make my contributions,” Fresé continued.Fresé is retiring her badge after five years with Salinas PD. She has said she wants to spend more time with family both in California and Texas.She started in 2016 as the department’s first female chief in its 153 years, but her law enforcement career goes back more than 27 years including a stint with the U.S. Marines.”She’s prioritized the city of Salinas for many many years. Despite other competing priorities in her life,” said Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig during Wednesday’s news conference.Video: Mayor Kimbley Craig’s full remarksFresé was one of several females that are high-ranking city officials, including the Salinas fire chief and mayor, who are both females. “It sends a message to little girls everywhere that they can be the mayor, they can be the fire chief, they can go higher if they choose,” Craig said.Fresé has been credited for her transparency, bringing reality TV show Live PD to the city for a year. Fresé also received praise for her accountability, such as addressing the suggestions from the Department of Justice on SPD’s practices.Under her watch homicide rates dropped 89.47% in the last four years. She also said to have increased diversity with her new hires. Fresé said when she started she saw a disconnect between police and community. Now the department prioritizes building relationships with the people of Salinas.”Seeing them kind of fill up again and realize the only way through this is connecting with the community. No matter how much we reach our hand out and it gets slapped, just keep trying,” Fresé said.The chief acknowledges some rough moments. She said her biggest regret is not being able to fully implement a $3.4M federal grant for school resource officers, because a handful of school boards declined to have the officers.Fresé said, “we are here as a resource, as a friend not as an opposing figure that wants to do harm.”Her assistant chief Roberto Filice will serve as interim chief.”There is so much that can be done and I’m looking forward to doing it,” Filice said.”The community does not need to worry with the chief departing. We continue our service like we’ve always done,” Filice added.The hiring of the next chief is the city manager’s responsibility, not the city council. Fresé doesn’t have an exact exit date yet but did hint at the possibility of July 1, give or take. In the meantime, she said she is exploring opportunities in the public and private sector.
After five years on the job as Salinas’ first female chief of police, Adele Fresé, has announced her retirement. She held a press conference about her departure on Wednesday at city hall.
“On a personal level this will be a huge adjustment,” said Salinas Police Chief Adele Fresé during a press conference Wednesday.
“I am going to miss it tremendously, but I have a feeling that I’ll get to make my contributions,” Fresé continued.
Fresé is retiring her badge after five years with Salinas PD. She has said she wants to spend more time with family both in California and Texas.
She started in 2016 as the department’s first female chief in its 153 years, but her law enforcement career goes back more than 27 years including a stint with the U.S. Marines.
“She’s prioritized the city of Salinas for many many years. Despite other competing priorities in her life,” said Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig during Wednesday’s news conference.
Video: Mayor Kimbley Craig’s full remarks
Fresé was one of several females that are high-ranking city officials, including the Salinas fire chief and mayor, who are both females. “It sends a message to little girls everywhere that they can be the mayor, they can be the fire chief, they can go higher if they choose,” Craig said.
Fresé has been credited for her transparency, bringing reality TV show Live PD to the city for a year. Fresé also received praise for her accountability, such as addressing the suggestions from the Department of Justice on SPD’s practices.
Under her watch homicide rates dropped 89.47% in the last four years. She also said to have increased diversity with her new hires. Fresé said when she started she saw a disconnect between police and community. Now the department prioritizes building relationships with the people of Salinas.
“Seeing them kind of fill up again and realize the only way through this is connecting with the community. No matter how much we reach our hand out and it gets slapped, just keep trying,” Fresé said.
The chief acknowledges some rough moments. She said her biggest regret is not being able to fully implement a $3.4M federal grant for school resource officers, because a handful of school boards declined to have the officers.
Fresé said, “we are here as a resource, as a friend not as an opposing figure that wants to do harm.”
Her assistant chief Roberto Filice will serve as interim chief.
“There is so much that can be done and I’m looking forward to doing it,” Filice said.
“The community does not need to worry with the chief departing. We continue our service like we’ve always done,” Filice added.
The hiring of the next chief is the city manager’s responsibility, not the city council. Fresé doesn’t have an exact exit date yet but did hint at the possibility of July 1, give or take. In the meantime, she said she is exploring opportunities in the public and private sector.