The Arvin City Council approved a contract Tuesday for a new police chief, though the vote was not unanimous amid concerns about ongoing investigations in another city where the incoming chief currently serves.
Cecilio Velasco, 49, will become Arvin's new police chief. Velasco is bilingual and says his ability to communicate with residents in both English and Spanish will be a major asset in a city that is nearly 90% Hispanic.
"Beneficial thing is that I'm bilingual, so I could speak to the community members in both English and Spanish. And I find that especially in, community that's almost 90% Hispanic," Velasco said.
For many residents, having a police chief who understands their language and culture is a welcome change.
Velasco's appointment did spark concern among some council members because of ongoing legal and criminal investigations involving four city council members in Avenal, where Velasco currently serves as police chief. So far, there has been no indication Velasco is connected to those investigations.
Council Member Susana Reyes addressed her concerns directly.
"For the record, I know that the city of Arvin's police department is in dire need of a leader. But I think we also have to focus on what's going on right now, so's happening in the city of Avenal. But other than that, you know, I've heard great things about you, but and it's not personal," Reyes said.
The vote to hire Velasco was split. Council members Olivia Calderon, Tim Tarver and Jaime Perez voted in favor, while Donny Horton voted no and Reyes abstained.
Velasco is no stranger to Kern County. He spent 12 years with the Delano Police Department, eventually rising to the rank of commander.
Velasco says he is ready to bring that experience to Arvin and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the community.
"I believe they deserve protection and safety just as much as any other affluent communities. And so I'm willing to put in the work and the effort in order to bring them that here," Velasco said.
"I'm always up for the challenge. For me, it's about bringing communities and police agencies together. I think that's what I want myself legacy to be," Velasco said.
"I want to make sure that anybody can walk day or night through this community until safe. That's how people. The very safe is community," Velasco said.
The city says the strong public support shown during Tuesday's council meeting is expected to make Velasco's swearing-in ceremony a celebration for the Arvin community.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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