The Chula Vista Police Department will be getting its first female chief at the end of the month, following the retirement of Chief David Bejarano, city officials announced Wednesday.
Capt. Roxana Kennedy was appointed by the city manager to become Chula Vista's 24th chief of police and will be sworn into office Dec. 30. The department provides service to a city of 265,000 residents.
"I am grateful for Chief Bejarano's years of outstanding service and leadership," Mayor Mary Casillas Salas said. "He is leaving the police department in good hands with Capt. Roxana Kennedy. Her management of our police officers, implementing innovative initiatives, and advancing a culture of excellence will continue the city's commitment to strong and safe communities."
Capt. Kennedy oversees the Patrol Operations Division and was second in command to Bejarano. The Patrol Division is the largest division in the police department and contains 67 percent of all sworn personnel.
Kennedy oversees patrol, traffic, school resource officers, the Street Team, the Gang Suppression Unit, Community Policing Unit, Community Relations and Crime Analysis, canine units, Senior Volunteer Patrol, the Reserve Unit, Crisis Negotiations, SWAT, Mobile Field Force, bilingual services, and mental health assistance in coordination with the Psychiatric Emergency Response Teams.
"I am honored to finish my law enforcement career in Chula Vista," Bejarano said. "Capt. Kennedy is the ideal person to lead this department forward as we work together to maintain safe neighborhoods, advance technology to fight crime, and serve the community through collaboration."
Kennedy was Chula Vista's first female police lieutenant and first female captain.
She has a bachelor's degree in business management from California Coast University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. She serves on the FBI National California Chapter Board of Directors and is the president of the San Diego Chapter of Women Leaders in Law Enforcement.
