Mindy Casto speaks Thursday morning to the media on her announcement as Fresno's police chief. She's joined by, from left, Fresno City Council Vice President Miguel Areas, Fresno Councilmember Tyler Maxwell, City Manager Georgeanne White, Mayor Jerry Dyer, Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi and Fresno Councilmember Nelson Esparza. City of Fresno live stream

Mindy Casto was named the police chief for the Fresno Police Department, marking the 24th department chief, and first woman to hold the permanent position in the department’s history.

“On June 13, 2024, Mindy Casto was named acting police chief as we completed an investigation into our former chief,” Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said during a Thursday press conference. “On June 25, 2024, Paco Balderrama resigned as police chief, and Casto was named as interim police chief.”

The department began its search for a new chief in early June 2024, posting a request for proposal for search firms. Public Sector Search and Consulting, led by retired police chief Kenton Buckner, was hired to conduct the search.

Buckner’s team gathered feedback from 476 respondents in online community forums, including 142 police department employees and 344 members of the public.

“Fourteen candidates applied,” City Manager Georgeanne White said. “According to Mr. Buckner, police chief recruitments used to receive 50 to 60 applicants; however, in today’s environment, that number has dropped to under 20.”

Dyer and White, alongside Assistant City Manager TJ Miller, Personnel Services Director Sumeet Malhi and Assistant Manager Sandra Chavez Martin narrowed the field to four candidates; one candidate withdrew their application prior to the interview date.

“Interviews were, in fact, conducted of all three via Zoom on Feb. 6,” Dyer said. “Chief Casto excelled during the interview process, answering each question with clarity and confidence, and clearly, clearly separating herself from the other two candidates.”

Buckner praised Casto’s performance, citing her “competence, capability and compassion,” with Dyer specifically noting her leadership and poise during three critical incidents in her time as interim chief: the arrest of an officer for attempted lewd acts with a child, an officer “ambush,” that left an officer hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds and one department suicide.

“Chief Casto was poised during the media interviews and handled each of those incidents with tremendous compassion and professionalism,” Dyer said. “As a result, the City Manager and I made the decision to forego any further testing process and offer Chief Mindy Casto the permanent police chief position.”

Casto accepted the position Tuesday.

“The first thing I want to do is just express my appreciation to this community to serve as your chief — and it is your chief — that’s a very important part of it,” Casto said Thursday, emphasizing the public’s relationship with the department. “Fresno has been a great place to work, it’s a great place to be a police officer, and that’s largely due to the community and the support that we get from the people who live and work here.”

During Thursday’s introduction, Casto expressed gratitude to God, her family, Dyer, White, the Fresno City Council and her department colleagues for their encouragement.

“I look forward to working with all of you to help make Fresno a much safer place, together, as One Fresno,” Casto said.