New Soledad Chief of Police Patrick Valenzuela sworn in Wednesday evening

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The City of Soledad officially appointed Patrick G. Valenzuela as its new Chief of Police Wednesday evening ahead of its special council meeting.

"We are thrilled to welcome Chief Patrick Valenzuela to Soledad," said City Manager Megan Hunter. "His extensive experience, commitment to community safety, and leadership in law enforcement make him the perfect fit for this role."

Valenzuela is from the Glendale Police Department in Arizona where he served since 1996. He also served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve as well as the U.S. Navy.

Before this, Valenzuela earned a Master's degree in Leadership from Grand Canyon University as well as a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Kaplan University.

"My promise to you is strong leadership and steadfast support as we work to uphold the highest standards of law enforcement," said Valenzuela. "To our community, my pledge is simple: we will be visible, we will be responsive, and we will work tirelessly alongside you to address our challenges and celebrate our success."

Soledad asks for public opinion for the next police chief via survey

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The selection process for the next Soledad Police Chief may lie in the hands of community members with a new community survey.

Those living in Soledad can take the survey to give their say on what they hope to see in the next chief.

Longtime Soledad Police Chief Damon Wasson retired after serving 17 years at the Soledad Police Department, a part of his 36 years in law enforcement.

The five-question survey includes questions such as what skills are critical for the role, what leadership they should possess, and how the Chief should engage with the community.

It is available online in English and Spanish along with physical copies at City Hall. The survey will end on April 4th.

Soledad Deputy Chief Fred Lombardi is the interim chief as the city determines its pick for the role.