Salinas Police Department announces new Chief of Police

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Mayor Kimbley Craig announced the new Salinas Police Chief Monday morning. Interim Police Chief Roberto Filice was promoted to Chief of Police.

"He has been a significant part of the shift in the face and attitude and direction of salinas police dept over the last five years," Craig said. "The focus on community policing and strength and momentum will continue through chief Filice's leadership."

There was a nationwide search for a new police chief. Once the candidates were chosen, there were three panels that interrogated them: a community panel, law enforcement panel, and the City of Salinas executive panel.

At the end of the day, the City Manager hires the chief and department directors.

"This is the most important decision I will make as city manager," said Salinas City Manager, Steve Carrigan. "People want to live in safe, well-managed communities and public safety is important at the city of Salinas. "

After the panelist chose three final candidates, Carrigan had the last say in which candidate should be Police Chief for Salinas PD.

"It was very clear, at the end of three interviews, who the chief was going to be," Carrigan said. "I was looking for someone who had the highest level of character and integrity, had the respect of the community and at the end of the day, I had no doubt in my mind that the next police chief of Salinas was going to be Roberto Filice."

Filice has been the assistant police chief since 2017 in the Salinas Police Department. He immigrated to the U.S. from Italy and said one of his first jobs was picking grapes in the fields. He received his MS in Criminal Justice and Masters in Public Administration working for the Seaside Police Department from 2007 to 2012. Filice later worked for over five years at the Marina Police Department until finally settling in Salinas PD. He is also fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian.

"I'm not here to be chief," Filice said. "And if you see me out there, feel free to call me Roberto, because that's who I am. I'm here to serve my community."

You can watch the full press conference below.