Two new Assistant Salinas Police Chiefs sworn in

The Salinas Police Department has sworn-in two new Assistant Chiefs.

The Assistant Chiefs are Roberto Filice and Manuel Martinez Junior.

While two assistant police chiefs might seem unusual, Salinas Police Chief Adele Frese said this stems from the previous deputy police chief position, which was renamed over the summer.

Assistant Chief Filice has 22 years of experience, and previously served with police departments in nearby Seaside and Marina, along with Chico and Scottsdale, Arizona. Assistant Chief Martinez spent 27 years with the San Jose Police Department and eight in Daly City, where he was the Police Chief.

Both Martinez and Filice are stressing community policing.

“Being an extension of the community. And the community being an extension of the police department. We are one family,” said Manuel Martinez Junior.

Filice said the department will “go out and be part of the community.”

The ceremony was held at the Armory, where four new officers and a newly promoted sergeant were also sworn in by Chief Frese.