Following a ceremony Wednesday at City Hall, the City of Fresno has a new chief of police.
After 18 years as chief, Jerry Dyer passed the baton to Andy Hall, a 40-year-veteran of the force who’d been deputy chief since 2016.
Singing Hall’s praises for nearly 10 minutes, Dyer credited Hall with making Fresno’s streets safer by increasing the number of officers working in the traffic bureau. "There are hundreds of families that did not have to bury a loved one as the result of your efforts," Dyer said addressing Hall. "So thank you for that.”
Hall said he wants to expand community policing efforts like youth mentoring and neighborhood watch. “These activities are part of our commitment to the community,” he said. “This interaction is vital to building trust and keeping youth away from gangs and a life of crime.”
Following a national search for Dyer’s replacement, Hall was promoted to acting chief in August despite not having applied for the job—an outcome that prompted many, including City Councilmember Miguel Arias, to protest the process as unjust and lacking in transparency.
Hall will remain police chief until January 2021. Jerry Dyer, now retired, is running for mayor.
