La Mesa Police Chief Walt Vasquez will retire on Aug. 27, concluding a 34-year career in law enforcement.
“Over the past five years, our team has worked very hard to keep the citizens of La Mesa safe,” Vasquez said. “The decrease in property and violent crimes in the City from 2015 to 2019 has been the largest decrease of all incorporated cities in San Diego County. This is extraordinary, especially when you take into consideration that the La Mesa Police Department is one of the lower staffed departments in the County. Crime decreases of this nature are only achieved through hard work and collaboration with the citizens we serve.”
Vasquez was sworn in as chief in 2015. He was previously the assistant police chief of San Diego. In 2016, he was appointed to the state's Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training by then Governor Jerry Brown.
In May, La Mesa became the site of mass protests and riots following the death of George Floyd. The police department has faced intense criticism for its response to some of the protesters.