BEGINNING: A time of firsts

The City of Fremont was first incorporated on January 23rd 1956, with two sources of Law Enforcement.  The primary enforcement was provided by the Alameda County Sheriff's office under contract, and the city also created a “Public Safety Officer” program. 

The original 1956 “Public Safety Officer” badge with California seal. 

Referred to as PSO’s, they were firemen that also had the authority of a policeman.  The PSO’s patrolled the city for six hours a day.  By May of 1957, the city had 13 men being trained in traffic patrol even though their primary duties were fire fighting and prevention.  These men had duties such as traffic control and accident investigation.  They drove Chevrolet station wagons labelled as “City of Fremont Patrol Car”.

There was opposition within the City Council as some members believed that Firemen belonged in the Firehouse not patrolling the streets.

On May 13th 1958, The city council voted to separate Police & Fire duties, ending the Public Safety Officer program.  (5/15/1958 News Register article)

On February 5th, 1958 the Fremont City Council voted to establish its own twenty five person Police Department.

To apply and test for the new position of Police Officer there was a requirement of at least three years of law enforcement experience.  As of April of 1958, three hundred and thirty five people had applied. Forty six who tested were from the Sheriff’s office.  Many of the “Original 25” came from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office but some were from outside agencies. 

The starting salaries per month were: 

Chief $750
Lieutenant $556
Sergeant $505-613
Officers, Investigators $425-$517

  
The original members of the department gather with their new patrol cars.

The Fremont Police Department came to be at midnight on July 1st 1958.

It was at 12:01 a.m., Tuesday, July 1, 1958 when Sergeant John A. Crowder and three patrolmen relieved Sergeant Maury Pretti and his men of the Alameda County Sheriff's Department. The scene was the Alameda County Building at 2550 Peralta Boulevard, Fremont, California.

OUR FIRST POLICE HEADQUARTERS

In 1958 the single-story building at 2550 Peralta Blvd. consisted of approximately 3,000 square feet of usable space for the Police Department. Originally constructed in 1951 to be used by 17 Deputy Sheriffs, it now housed a staff of 27 persons.   The building also housed two court rooms, The District Attorney’s office, Public Defender's Office, and County Health Department.

Front Entrance
Located on the east side of the building, the front entrance had “City of Fremont” and “Police Dept” on the glass door.

Briefing Room
The patrol briefing room was the first room on the right as you entered the building from the parking lot.  This small meeting room provided staff a place to meet prior to their shift and obtain  criminal intelligence and patrol beat instructions.

Front Counter
There was a Front Counter/Reception area of about 6’X8’, with a sliding glass window. Behind the counter sat the Desk Officer, who handled nearly all incoming telephone calls.

Dispatcher
The dispatcher's area or “radio room” had only one dispatcher. The Dispatcher would timestamp one of several different colored 2 in. x 3 in. papers that got hung on a hook, corresponding to the assigned unit. Nothing was computerized.  Nearby were two desk Sergeants and a small Watch Commanders office.

Locker Room
The locker room was arranged just like a high school with stacked lockers of which there were not enough. Just prior to moving into the 'New Building' (October 1970) many officers were sharing half lockers.' (about 80 Officers).

Report Writing Room
Officers had a 'Report Writing Room (approx. 8X10), equipped with 5-6 manual typewriters where they typed reports on carbonized report forms.

Records Section
The Records Section contained metal file cabinets for police reports, forms and other files.

The prisoner booking area inside P.D. headquarters.

Booking Room
The booking room was located north of the records room.  It was about 6’x8’ and equipped with a black & white film camera, which frequently needed repair after our guests became unruly. The arresting officer was expected to book his own prisoner(s) which could be problematic at times.

Officers would place all of the suspects identifying information on a photo ID board, letter by letter.  The board would be placed in front of the prisoner so the identifying information would appear in the booking photo. Occasionally, a fight with an uncooperative suspect resulted in all letters and numbers scattered on the floor. You would then start the process all over again.  Fingerprints were ink rolled onto cards by the arresting officer.

Interrogation Room
There was one small room for conducting interviews of suspects and witnesses.

These were the two jail cells in the building.

Prisoner Jail Cells
There were two jail cells.  These were temporary cells where a prisoner would await a court appearance and/or sobriety.  These cells were next to the courtrooms and the Sheriff's Deputies would often use them for temporary holding of their prisoners.

Command Staff
There were two captain's offices and one for the Chief of Police. 

Garage & Evidence Storage Area
A garage was used for evidence storage and a small armory. 

Rear Exit/Ramp
During our shift, officers would enter/leave the building via the back door, where the ramp was located. 

Parking Lot
The parking lot was open to the public.  That meant the lot contained patrol cars as well as civilian vehicles.  To the west of the lot was a small farm.  They had chickens that liked to roost on the patrol car emergency light bars.  Officers had to deal with the chickens before leaving the lot.

 

Chief Condon explaining the patrol beat map (Friends magazine photo - 1959)

THE FIRST PATROL BEATS
The city was divided into three patrol beats on the midnight shift, four beats on the day shift and five beats on the evening shift.

THE FIRST FPD POLICE VEHICLES
In April of 1958, the Fremont City Council authorized the City Manager to call for bids for seven new police cars.  Five of the 8-cylinder sedans would be used for patrol and the other two for investigations or the Chief.

One of the 1958 Chevrolet Delray patrol cars.

The department started with seven patrol vehicles, some of which were used under contract by the Sheriff’s Office.  They were black and white 1958 Chevrolet Delray sedans marked with “City of Fremont” and “Police” on their doors.  They had a single rotating beacon on the roof and a solid red light.  A cage protecting officers from unruly prisoners in the back seat.  The department had access to three Fire Patrol vehicles (former P.S.O. vehicles) when needed. During the first month of operation the department's patrol cars logged over 35,000 miles.

 

Our first shoulder patch.  This simple patch featured a golden bear just like that of the state of California.  The blue background was surrounded by a gold border and stated “FREMONT POLICE”.  This was the standard uniform patch until 1971 when the next patch was issued.

THE FIRST CALLS FOR SERVICE
Initially, radio dispatching was done under contract by the County of Alameda. 

The first call for service came at 12:55 am on July 1 1958.  A citizen complained of a disturbance of the peace at 183 Pine Street, in the Centerville district.

The second call for service came at 5:40 am.  A truck had overturned and lost its load in Irvington, near the monument at five corners.

At 7:25 am, The first petty theft report was taken.   A citizen reported that gasoline had been stolen from a parked vehicle at 725 Ladner Street in the Irvington district.   It was at 7:50 am that same morning when the first injury collision was reported.  A motorcycle and a vehicle had collided at the intersection of Highway 9 (Mission Blvd) and Niles Canyon Road.  As a result of this collision the first traffic citation was issued.

A Sergeant surveys the damage at this Mission Blvd/Niles Canyon collision.

During the first twenty four hours of operation, the department logged a total of twelve requests for service.

In the first month of operation Chief Condon reported that FPD’s Officers arrested 36 adults and 24 Juveniles.  They investigated numerous bad-check and burglary cases.  Several incidents of vandalism were also investigated.

An Officer investigating a traffic collision.

The 18 patrolmen, backed by a Lieutenant, three Sergeants and two detectives, operated four patrol cars in the city during the day, and five at night. (News Register article August 7 1958).

 

In the above photo, Ofc Dick Minges (#270 1959-1972) is seated at the FPD desk officer /dispatch desk. The panel of lights behind him are robbery or burglary alarms wired directly to local businesses or banks.

The first police headquarters building, in pictured in 1970 vs. 2025.

Our first Police Headquarters building served the department from 1958 until 1970.  The courts moved out in 1979 and the building went to private ownership.  Most recently it was being used as a Montessori school.

The department's aim during the last eighteen months of the fifties was recruiting personnel and expansion.  As seen in the above pictured advertisement, only experienced officers were sought.  (7/23/1959 News Register)

1959

On January 10th 1959, the City of Fremont changed the names of more than 80 streets in the city.  Since Fremont was formed from five towns of Washington Township there were many duplicate street names.  Also, the county put forth an effort to create a uniform standard for street numbering. 

The official seal of the City of Fremont was revealed in 1959.  It was designed by Gereon Rios and was intended to express the unity and totality of Fremont.  Mission Peak dominates the top of the inner circle with an outline map of the city area occupying the lower portion.  Within the map's border are five gold pyramids outlined in white, each symbolizing one of the five original towns that now comprise Fremont, and a patch of white representing the town of Newark, which is completely surrounded by Fremont.  To the right is an olive tree and a mission structure, which symbolizes Fremont’s early history, and beneath there is an olive press, which symbolizes industry.  The outer band is blue and gold, the colors of the state of California.   On the far right is a campfire, and, on the far left, the city flower, the Fremontia. The original design had the California poppy (as shown above) but was changed in 1961. (Source: City of Fremont the First Thirty Years).

The Police department adopted the city seal and added the five-star design as seen above. This original painting was used to create the decals applied to patrol vehicles from 1959-1974.

Five new Patrolmen positions were authorized in the 1959-60 budget. Chief Condon reported nine candidates, all experienced in law-enforcement, took the patrolman's exam. (8/13/1959 News Register article)

 

The first radar unit and traffic officer were put into service. The radar unit was only capable of reading speed while the patrol car was stationary. (8/13/1959 News Register article).

Children gather around an FPD patrol car, speaking with the Officer inside. (Friends magazine)

Friends magazine (a publication of General Motors) sent a reporter to Fremont PD to see how the newly formed department functioned.  The magazine published a three-page article with photos entitled “The Law in a new Town”.  The issue was published in April 1959.

The unknown author spent enough time with our department to give a description of how business was conducted.  One section states: “Because the five small towns that are combined in Fremont are primarily residential and agricultural, the police spend most of their time safeguarding people and property-preventing trouble, rather than solving crime.  With 300 miles of highway to patrol, scout cars are one of the department’s important weapons.  Motor patrolmen-one man car-work around the clock, in three shifts.  Whatever calls they answer-dog bite, accident, robbery-the citizens, to win cooperation and respect for the law.” (Friends magazine). 

An FPD Officer making his rounds, checking doors for burglaries. (Friends magazine) 

FPA’s first officers, Waldo Damerell, James Gibson, and Roger Neuman 

---

The First Officers of the F.P.A. 

  

---

The Fremont Police Association is a 501(c)(5) non-profit organization that represents the sworn men and women of the Fremont Police Department. They safeguard the rights of the membership and provide them with the best possible legal representation, negotiate for adequate benefits and competitive wages, and support our community through donations to local programs and worthwhile charities.

The decade of the 1960’s was characterized by growing civil unrest, particularly in the context of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, leading to clashes between police and protesters. Perceived police brutality and racial profiling became major issues, exacerbating tensions between law enforcement and minority communities. Furthermore, the Supreme Court issued landmark decisions like Mapp v. Ohio and Miranda v. Arizona, which standardized and guided certain law enforcement administrative and procedural functions.

The San Francisco Bay Area was a hotbed of protest. Students, activists, and members of countercultural movements organized sit-ins, marches, and other forms of civil disobedience, often targeting businesses and institutions perceived as discriminatory or complicit in government policies.

The Fremont Police Department participated in controlling these protests on many occasions.  FPD participated under a mutual aid agreement with other agencies in the bay area. During this time, all FPD Patrol Officers were required to wear a helmet while on duty.

Ofc Leroy Pyle seen in his patrol car about 1966 wearing the required patrolman's helmet.

1960

The new shield badge which is still in use today.

A police badge is more than just an emblem.  It’s a symbol of their authority and identifies them as law enforcement.  It represents their role as a public servant and their commitment to upholding the law.

In 1959-60 the police department modernized its badge.  A “shield” style of badge was selected for all uniformed members.  The new badge has an eagle with outstretched wings at the top with four banners.  The top banner displays the rank of its bearer.  All second and third banners state “Fremont” and “Police”.  The lowest banner is for the badge number.  In the center of the badge is the seal of California surrounded by a blue circle.  In that circle it states “City of Fremont” at the top.  On the bottom is “56” which represents the year of the city’s incorporation.

All sworn officers were issued the full size shield badge, which measures approximately 3.5 inches tall by 2.5” wide.  Non-sworn members were issued a scaled down shield badge which measured approximately 2 ⅜ inch by 1 ¾ inch.  All shields were silver with the exception of command staff (Lieutenants and above) which were gold.

The first promotional examination took place.  This was to fill two newly created Lieutenant and two additional Sergeants positions.

The first two-way county radios were put into service in 1960 which provided direct communication to units in the field.  The radio system was operated by dispatchers of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department.

This is the proposed site of the future city government building and Fremont Police headquarters.

On September 6th, 1960, The Fremont City Council selected the Fudenna ranch as a future site for its Civic Center.  The 13.7 acre property was selected as it was at a higher elevation than the Glidden property.  (9/9/1960 News Register article).  This site was located at the intersection of the future Paseo Padre Parkway and future Stevenson Blvd.

1961

In January of 1961 Lt. Lowell Creighton and Investigator Leroy Rieman received certificates of graduation for the “identi-kit” system of criminal identification.  This certified both as two of the nations qualified persons to use the system.  This system was developed to aid in early identification and apprehension of suspects.  (1/4/1961 News Register article)

By February of 1961, a public telephone had been installed at the Newark Police Department. This phone provided direct contact with the desk officer on duty at Fremont P.D.. At that time, Newark P.D.’s dispatch functions were done by Fremont. The Newark Police Department was closed during the night hours and this phone allowed citizens quick access to Police.  (2/23/1961 News Register article)

The department began a bicycle registration program to aid in locating the owners of lost or stolen bicycles. Registration of bicycles was required by ordinance and a fee of fifty cents was charged. (2/2/1961 News Register article).

1962

Fremont’s new Police Chief, Clinton Wright.

In 1962, Chief Condon retired after twenty-six years of Law Enforcement Service.   He served initially with the Alameda County Sheriff’s office and then the newly created Fremont Police Department.  Clinton H. Wright was selected from a field of seventy top Law Enforcement Administrators as the next Chief of Police.  Chief Wright had twenty one years experience and had been Chief in Westminster and Huntington Beach, California.

1963

The Police Department reorganized and a vice bureau was added to the Investigative Division.

1964

In December of 1964, the department put out bids for new police cars.  The bids on new Chevrolet’s came in $80.00 lower than that of Dodge.  Chief Wright reported to the City Council that the beat patrolman also considers wheel base, braking, weight, head room, leg room, and the ability to get an unruly prisoner into the back seat. Councilman Gene Rhodes, whose father was a 20 year veteran Police Officer, backed Chief Wright and requested a study into the department's specific preferences. (12/9/1964 News Register article)

1965

In February of 1965, Chief Clinton Wright stated to The News Register “Salary differential is a minor problem here.  Our greatest problem is the loss of men to other police departments where higher wages are paid… Police work is becoming more and more frustrating. In part, this is due to adverse court decisions which hamper good law enforcement.  The trend is protection of the individual criminal rather than protection of society”.  (2/14/1965 article in The News Register)

In April of 1965, Fremont sought to have its own Police Canine program beginning with the 1965-66 fiscal budget.  It was presented that dogs would not be a replacement for police personnel. Ofc. Bob Pellerin completed most of the groundwork, with the help of San Francisco’s dog unit trainer.   At this time, a local security company in Fremont (Fox Security) had four dogs trained in Police work.  On occasion, Fox’s dogs had been used in Fremont to locate and capture suspects.  Pellerin’s recommendations for a dog unit had stringent qualifications for both the man and the dog. 

The Officers would have to be married and have at least one child.  The Officer's wife would have to submit an affidavit saying she expects the dog to become part of the family and live in the house at all times. 

Officers submitting applications to the program would be required to  take an oral interview and already had maintained exemplary job performance.

Dogs selected would undergo a four week probationary training program.  During that time, the trainers and handler would determine if they fit the requirement for police service.  Pellerin was insistent the dogs should never be kenneled as that could lead to a change in the dogs behavior.

Now promoted, Sergeant Bob Pellerin poses with Fremont’s first Police Canine, “Tangie”.

The first Police Canine, “Tangie” , was assigned to Pellerin and the Patrol Division in the fall of 1965. (1/23/1966 News Register article)

In June, the Police Association asked the city council for a five percent across the board raise.  Other requests were a small increase for detectives since their civilian clothing costs could not be drawn from their uniform funds.  The article mentioned the requirements of P.O.S.T. (Police Officers Standard for Training) and that FPD Officers attended police academies at either Diablo or Chabot college.  There were 70 sworn officers at the time of these requests.  (6/15/65 News Register)

In 1965, Fremont began its own radio dispatching operation for the Fremont-Newark areas. Previously, radio dispatching services were contracted from the Alameda County Sheriff’s office.  Dispatchers at Fremont PD had to relay all messages through the Alameda County Communications Center, who would then radio the patrol cars in Fremont.  With the new system, Fremont was still able to communicate with surrounding agencies.

In July, three division commanders were reclassified to Captains.  Harry Heyen, Lowell Creighton and John Crowder were all veteran police officers and received a 2.5% raise with the new classification. Heyen was put in charge of the service division; Creighton, patrol; and Crowder, the investigative section.

October 28th, The first computer terminal, an IBM 1051 Computer, was placed into service at Fremont PD headquarters.  This terminal was used to process warrants and check for stolen vehicles and was the first of its kind to connect agencies in Alameda County.  (10/21/65 News Register)

In 1965 the department established a training section and a planning and research section.

News Register article on 9/15/1965

In September, volunteers of the police association conducted an open house at the department to commemorate back to school.  Static displays had been created to show parents the types of weapons confiscated from Fremont teenagers.

1966

In line with the increased requests for service, manpower had increased from 25 officers in 1958, serving 29,000 people, to 82 officers as of March 1966, serving an estimated population of 88,000. The department's clerical personnel had increased from the original two in 1958 to a total of 8 clerks and 6 dispatchers in 1966.

This 1966 photo depicts Fremont’s brand new Mobile Field Headquarters.  In uniform are Chief Clinton Wright,  Captain John Crowder and Captain Harry Heyen.

In August of 1966, the department took delivery of the first Mobile Field Headquarters.  It was designated as vehicle number 676.  Eleven months after being ordered, Captain Harry Heyen flew to Boyertown, Pa. to take delivery.  He and his nine year old son, Dick drove the new truck the entire way back to Fremont.  The $12,500.00 vehicle was equipped and put into service.  This custom built 1966 Dodge Power Wagon W500 was unique in that it was four-wheel-drive and had dual rear wheels.  Equipped with a 361 cubic inch V-8 and manual transmission, it would accumulate about twelve thousand miles during its forty three years of service (1966-2009).  Over the years it was used as a dispatch and command center at large scenes and training events.  While still in service it participated in parades and was even displayed at the CHP Emergency Vehicle car show.

Once retired, it was loaned to a ham radio club in Fremont.  After that it was sold to a private citizen who completely restored its 1966 livery.  That person brought the truck to many car shows and won several awards.  He sold it  to a private citizen in 2022.  As of 2025 the whereabouts of FPD vehicle #676 is unknown.

May 14th 1966 - POLICE WEEK / DEPARTMENT INSPECTION

Captain Heyen inspecting Reserve Officers

1966 was the first year Fremont PD held a department wide public inspection. All uniformed personnel in the patrol division and all members of the Police Reserve Association were on display in full dress uniform.  Police Chief Clinton Wright invited  a formidable inspection team to attend, headed by Lt. Col. R.D. McKee, of the United States Air Force.  Assisting him was Chief James Chambers of the Newark Police Department and Fremont Fire Chief Thomas Estudillo.

Lt. Col. R.D. McKee and Newark PD Chief Chambers inspect Fremont officers.

Chief Wright presenting the outstanding citizen award.

Chief Wright made the first presentation of an annual “Outstanding Citizen” award.  The first award was issued to Mrs. May Jane McKone for her part in the identification and apprehension of a hit and run suspect.  The suspect injured two teenagers riding a motorbike.

Monsignor Vincent Breen delivered the invocation for the Saturday morning event and the Horner Junior High band provided music. 

FPD vehicles displayed on the football field of Washington High School.

All police department cars and equipment not in actual patrol use at the time were on display. It was primarily held at Washington High School to accommodate the personnel and vehicles. Following the inspection, Bob Pellerin and Fremont’s first canine, Tangie, provided a demonstration of her talents. (5/10/66 News Register)

The department's four-wheel-drive “Rescue Unit” towing a generator with lighting.

The department now had thirty four vehicles, one 4-wheel drive ambulance used by the Patrol Reserves and a new 4-wheel drive mobile command truck. 

Team members shown (left to right) Leroy Pyle, Dick Cox, Bill Fulton, Ed Montgomery, Ed Selich, Bob Dratz, Karl Trettin and Bob Pellerin

The department's pistol team was very successful in 1966.  They competed in statewide pistol matches winning trophies and defeated the champion Stockton PD team.

THE NEED FOR A NEW (SECOND) POLICE STATION

The Police station at 2550 Peralta Blvd originally housed twenty seven personnel.  By 1966 it was servicing ninety six personnel.  The two holding cells built to contain eight prisoners did on occasion house as many as twenty four prisoners awaiting appearances in court.

Part of an article in the News Register

Even the newspapers described how cramped the quarters were, citing only 3000 square feet of space for the 96 man department to use.  Part of the armory was in the garage, where it shared space with the property room.  A second armory, which housed a Thompson sub-machine gun, was only three feet by three feet.  What had previously been a shower was turned into a photo lab.  In August, Chief Wright moved two divisions (Investigations and Administrative) to a city owned vacant house on Country Drive.  This separation caused many logistical problems but was tolerated until a new facility could be built.

It was clear by 1966 the department needed a larger, more modern Police Station.

1967

May 1967, The FPD “Pistol Team” members dawned a logo on uniform and jackets.  Patrol Officers wore a blue and white plaque on the right breast pocket stating “Pistol Team”.

One of several advertisements urging Fremont residents to vote in favor of the bond measure. (6/2/67 News Register)

On June 6th, 1967 voters approved a bond to build a new city government building.  By September of 1967, the new $1.4 million dollar structure had been designed by Robert Mittlestadt, Griffin and Dalton and it was intended to be opened by June of 1969.  A model of the new facility was unveiled to the City Council in September.

Ofc Robert Bradanini and his canine “Big Red”

The FPD K9 program was expanded to three dogs in 1967 (Tangie with Bob Pellerin, Big Red with Robert Bradanini and Vahn with Bob Turner).  In the 1960’s the Fremont City Council only authorized dogs via donation.  Sgt. Pellerin purchased Big Red himself and then gave the dog to Bradinini.  Vauh was purchased by a San Jose man and then donated.  The origin of Rod is currently not known.

Two FPD Police Explorers sit in a 1970 Pontiac Catalina patrol car.

1967 saw the first use of Pontiacs as FPD Patrol cars.  They were Catalina sedans and for the first time FPD used Federal Signal “Visibar” rain gutter mounted “light bars”.  These allowed for easier transfer of the lighting to other vehicles and did not require drilling many holes in the roof.  The center of the lightbar had a Federal Signal model CJ-184 rotating light with a red lens.  This model also contained the siren/public address speaker under the rotating light.  On the outermost ends of the bar were three Dietz brand round lights.  Two faced forward and one to the rear.  The forward lens’ were red and the rear was amber.

1968

In January of 1968, The Fremont Police Department was hiring and posted a help wanted ad.  That ad indicated that Police Officers of that time were being paid between $644-$782 a month.  (1/2/68 News Register)

On February 24th, members of the Fremont Police Department and Fremont Fire Department participated in a benefit basketball game.  This may be the first of many Police vs. Fire benefit games.  The News Register article of 2/14/1968 shows a photo of FPD’s Ed Montgomery and FFD’s George Brown posing with the Mayor, Geoffrey Steel. (photo by Steve Rubiolo)

On March 7th, 1968 the department suffered its first line of duty death.  Detective Rodney Hendricks, age 32, was on duty and transporting a 19 year old youth witness in his detective's car.  Hendricks’ car collided with another on rain slick Mission Blvd, north of Niles Canyon.  Both Hendricks and the youth were killed.  The driver of the other vehicle suffered injury but survived.  Detective Hendricks had served with the Fremont Police Department for seven years. He was survived by his wife, two children, his parents, and a brother. The department would later name a K9 in Hendricks’ honor named “Big Rod”.  That dog was handled by Dick Trimble.

May 1968 - POLICE WEEK / DEPARTMENT INSPECTION

FPD Police Explorers provided Honor Guard duties for Police Week.

In May of 1968, Fremont PD celebrated “National Police Week” with a series of demonstrations and displays at the Hub Shopping Center.  The Fremont Police Pistol Team demonstrated their skills by live shooting at targets with wax bullets.  Their techniques won them the 1967 crown as California State Champions.  The canine team gave several demonstrations of the dogs abilities.  The department's uniformed officers were inspected by Mayor Geoffrey Steel, CIty Manager Don Driggs and Police Chief Clinton Wright.

Sgt. Ed Stroman speaks with the public about weapons that were confiscated from juvenile offenders.  This booth was in the interior portion of the Hub Shopping Center.  It provided information about fingerprint identification, weaponry and even displayed the department's Thompson submachine gun.

The mobile field headquarters and rescue vehicle on display.

Members of the Pistol Team demonstrating their shooting skills.

A Reserve Police Officer is explaining the department's “Speedalyzer” radar unit to this young man.

In September of 1968, a groundbreaking ceremony took place to begin construction  of  the new City Government building and Police Station.  This took place during the city's Pathfinder Days celebration.

In 1968, the department documented proper techniques in a series of staged photographs.  The photos were used for training and public displays.  Some of the photos are presented below:

In this photograph the patrolman is confronted by an armed individual during a traffic stop.  This photo was taken on Fremont Blvd, north of Walnut Ave.  The Montgomery Wards auto center and Fox Theater are in the background.

The Officer demonstrates using his vehicle for cover as he deals with a hostage situation.  Both men are armed with handguns at a home in the Glenmoore district.

The Fremont Hub Texaco gas station has been robbed and this officer demonstrates using the tires as a form of concealment.  

Pistol Team member Dick Cox demonstrating a balanced shooting stance.

In December, Officers and Sergeants from Fremont PD were assigned to San Francisco state university as part of a mutual aid request.  They were part of a contingency of officers sent there to deal with students who were protesting for multiple days.  Sgt Gary Tyler and his team (Officers Bradanini, Lockwood, Jones, Hughes and Reichert) responded as did 61 other bay area officers.  (12/5/1968 Argus article).

1969

John V. Fabbri, Chief of Police (1969-1975)

In March 1969 Chief Clinton Wright retired and testing began for the vacant Chief’s position.  Lowell Creighton was appointed as acting Chief.  John V. Fabbri was appointed as Fremont's next Chief of Police in October of 1969.

The department was made up of 96 Sworn officers (one Chief, two Captains, four Lieutenants, 16 Sergeants, 73 Patrolmen, 7 dispatchers and 9 clerks).

From March 22-29 the City of Fremont celebrated the dedication of Lake Elizabeth and the new City Government Building and Police Department.

On June 11th, 1969 a time capsule was placed inside a pillar in the new City Government building.  Inside the capsule were 38 items to celebrate and remember Fremont’s history.  Some examples were coats of arms and plaques of Fremont and Elizabeth, Australia (Fremont’s sister city), lists of donors who contributed trees at the site, copies of the city seal, historical background information, a 1969 city employee roster, committee members roster, newspaper clippings, tape recordings of historical events, aerial photographs, population information and other written contributions.  A plaque was placed over the 20 inch steel box which was sealed inside the wall.  The time capsule stood in place until the building was torn down in 2004.

October 1969, Fremont PD was now using the VASCAR (Visual Average Speed Computer and Recorder) for speed enforcement.  VASCAR overcame a limitation of traditional radar of the time.  VASCAR gave officers the ability to measure a vehicle's speed while the patrol car was in motion.  Traditional radar only worked with a stationary patrol car.

Sgt. Ken Coleman at the new CLETS terminal in Peralta HQ.

Also this year, a CLETS terminal (California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System) was installed at the Peralta station.  This replaced the former teletype unit.  (10/14/69 News Register)

In the 1970s, police work in America faced numerous challenges and saw significant changes in tactics and training. Police departments began implementing standardized testing and hiring procedures, and scientific criminal investigative techniques gained traction. The decade saw a peak in violent attacks on officers and a growing focus on professionalism and crime control.

1970

 

In January the department got rid of patrol helmets and went back to dress hats. The old helmets were retained for special circumstances but Patrolmen were no longer required to wear them at all times. (1/12/70 News Register article)

Officer Ron Nielsen inspecting the new range location.  

In 1970 the FPD’s Coyote Hills pistol range was established on part of a former NIKE missile site (officially known as San Francisco Defense Site SF-37 from 1956-1963).  The land is owned by the Alameda County Water District.  Prior to its establishment, Fremont officers trained at the Newark pistol range.  Since 1970, the Coyote Hills range has provided firearms training for hundreds of personnel.  It continues to be a valuable training site and is still in use today.

(News Register article 6/5/70)

In June of 1970, Chief Fabbri established a Community Relations section.  It began with Sgt. Jim Noonan who would be responsible for everything from citizens complaints to developing programs to educate the community. 

Also in June, future FPD Sergeant John Howsden won the Rodney Hendricks Memorial Award.  He was attending Ohlone College and won the $100 scholarship at the beginning of the fall semester.  Members of the selection committee were Lt. Newman, Detective Shelley and the widow of Rodney Henricks (Argus article 6/12/70).

A map of the city with lighted status locations seems archaic but in the 70’s this technology was state of the art.

In August, a new system of communications was installed in the new Police station.  A large map board was installed to give dispatchers a visual aid as to the status of field units.  

FPD Pontiac patrol cars parked in their assigned stalls at the new police headquarters, 39710 Civic Center Drive.

In October 1970, the long awaited new Fremont Police headquarters was placed into service.  This marked the first time that all aspects of the department were housed in a single building.  The new building spanned approximately 32,000 square feet and cost $1.4 million.

In November 1970, The Fremont Police Department increased its staff to 103 sworn officers and 31 support personnel.  On November 2nd, the department added 16 positions;  5 jailers, 5 Police Matrons, 4 Dispatchers and 2 Police Officers.  (11/3/70 article). 

1971 

Members of the City Council and Police Chief John Fabbri cut the ribbon opening Fremont’s new Police Building. (left to right are Councilmen William Van Doorn, Jack Pimentel, Donald Dillon, Geoffrey Steel, Chief Fabbri and Mayor Gene Rhodes)

In January of 1971 an official “ribbon cutting” ceremony took place to dedicate the new City Government Building and second Police Station.  Over 2000 people were expected to attend.   The public was allowed to tour the new police facilities.  A concert was held by the 49th Military Police band of the California Army National Guard.  On the flag pole was a replica of General John C. Fremont’s garrison flag which flew over Washington Township in 1846.

In May, the Department put into effect a policy to strengthen relationships between the department and the news media.  A daily activities bulletin began being published in a format proposed by newspapermen.

Sgt. Bob Pellerin and canine “Tangie”

In August of 1971, Fremont’s first Police dog, “Tangie”, retired after six years of outstanding service.  In her first year, Tangie made seven unassisted felony arrests.  In 1967, Tangie defeated the best police dogs in the nation when she competed in the “National Police, Security Police and Protection Dog Trails” in Detroit Michigan.  Tangie was the only canine member of the California Women's Police Officers Association.  She also received the K-9 distinction award issued by Dog World Magazine.  In retirement she lived with the Pellerin family.

 
Officers Fred Meredith (left) and Jerry Houston (right) display the old vs. new Fremont Police uniforms.

In September, Fremont PD changed the patrol uniform and patch to a new format.  Gone were the grey shirts and the “bear patch”.  The new uniform shirt became dark blue and a new shoulder patch was created.  The new patch featured a version of the city seal and some of its elements.  Five red triangles represented the five towns which came together and became Fremont.

Car #504, a 1971 Plymouth Fury II displays the new all white livery.

In December of 1971, FPD Patrol cars were changed from a black and white scheme to all white. Some of the first with the new scheme were 1971 Plymouth Fury II sedans.  All of the emergency lighting were “visibar’s” that were carried over from previous generations.

In 1971, Jim Noonan created a voluntary fitness program.  It involved jogging around the lake, a distance of about 2.5 miles.  

FPD Officer Victor Kacalek

On September 29th 1972, Fremont Officer Victor Kacalek (badge 722) was shot in the neck and seriously wounded. He had responded to a man with a gun call at 40923 Durillo Drive where a 79 year old man had brandished a firearm. As Ofc. Kacalek approached the house he was shot by the suspect through the kitchen window. Officer Dick Trimble arrived and a gun battle took place resulting in the death of the suspect. At the time of the shooting, Kacalek had four years service at the department. He spent the next two years recovering and fighting with the city over a service connected disability retirement. By 1975 he had received a fifty percent service retirement.

John V. Fabbri, FPD Chief of Police (1969-1975)

On June 29th 1975, Fremont Police Chief John V. Fabbri died unexpectedly at his home of a heart attack. Flags throughout the city were flown at half mast in honor of the highly respected Chief. On July 2nd a funeral with full police honor was held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Fremont. In attendance were more than 1000 law enforcement officers and executives from Northern California.

John Fabbri was appointed as Fremont’s Police Chief in 1969 and had served in Law Enforcement for 26 years. Prior to Fremont, Fabbri was Chief for nine years in South San Francisco. Capt. Roger

Neuman was appointed acting Chief until the next Chief was hired.  (7/3/75 Oakland Tribune article).

Dispatcher Diane Cutright at the console where TRICOM was installed.

In June 1975 a new form of disaster communication was launched called “TRICOM”.  TRICOM consisted of 13 jurisdictions, including Fremont Police, who controlled the network, Newark and Union City Police, the Alameda County Water District, Alameda County, three school districts, Ohlone College, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pacific Telephone Co, the Union Sanitary District and Washington Hospital.

The idea was that when disaster strikes, telephone lines are invariably down or swamped, leaving few or no lines for vital communications. Each agency was equipped with a receiver tuned to the TRICOM frequency and placed near the regular communications console.

The system was kept simple and at a very low frequency. It featured an easy switchover to battery power in case of blackouts. The dispatcher would push a button on their console and within a few minutes the Tri-City Disaster Communications Network would be in operation.  (7/14/75 Tribune article).

The interior of a 1976 Traffic Nova equipped with the new “Speedgun” radar device.

Captain Jim Noonan (left) and Captain Gary Tyler (right)

Jim Noonan was placed in charge of the department's operations division. He had been an acting captain since August of 1975. He joined the department in 1961 and worked as a detective, head of the community relations program and as watch commander.

Sergeants Johnson, Armstrong, Morrison and Cox.

Wilbur Johnson was a member of the Police Pistol Team and a firearms instructor. He joined the department in 1971 and was an acting sergeant.

It’s a beautiful day in this scene from the police parking lot with Lake Elizabeth and Mission Peak in the background.  The decade of the 1980’s is right around the corner.

In Fremont, California, 1980 saw the beginning of a building boom as the city experienced significant growth, mirroring the expansion of Silicon Valley. This period also saw the emergence of a more diverse job market, with more high-tech companies establishing a presence in the area. The NUMMI plant, a joint venture between GM and Toyota, was also operating at this time, later becoming a major manufacturing hub for the city.

The police department had advancements in computer technology such as computer aided dispatching and new radio systems.  A new “enhanced” version of the 9-1-1 system made it possible for dispatchers to know the location of a call’s origin.  Previously they had to rely on information provided by the caller.  The department increased its sworn staff by 34 personnel to a total of 191 during the 1980’s.  The civilian staff grew by 12 personnel.

1980

1980 marked the 25th anniversary of the City Government Building.

In 1980 the department had 135 sworn officers, up 19 since 1975.

Fremont PD’s Chevrolet Malibu patrol car.

In the beginning of this decade the department began equipping its fleet with smaller patrol cars.  The Chevrolet Malibu 9C1 police package sedan was in wide use at this time.  They featured GM’s F41 sport suspension for better handling which many officers appreciated.  The Malibu's bore the same livery as the earlier Chevrolet Nova’s that were all white with a reflective blue stripe on the sides.

Photo of Fremont’s first motor officers from the 6/5/80 Tribune article.

In June, FPD created our first traffic motorcycle officer division.  The Officers were Ken Nance, Steve Osawa, Larry Reinstra and Jim Stover.  All four were sent to a four week training course at the Oakland Police motorcycle training school.  The four motorcycles were Kawasaki 1000cc models that were equipped with lights, siren and radios.  The mission of the motor officers was to focus on the prevention of traffic collisions.

1981

In 1981, the entire Fremont Police Department attended a first of its kind class in “Orientation to Deafness”.  The three day class was held on the campus of the California School for the Deaf, Fremont campus.  An 8 hour stress management component was also included.  Fremont is unique in that it has a large hearing impaired community.  The department recognized that better training would benefit its officers and the deaf community.

1982

The Reserve Officers badges (1958 left and 1980’s right)

On June 22nd 1982, the Fremont City Council created a resolution to recognize the accomplishments and sacrifices of the FPD Reserve Officer program.  It mentions their service from July 1, 1958 - June 30, 1982.  One portion read, “NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council and the City of Fremont does hereby proclaim its pride in and appreciation for the dedicated service and assistance provided to the community during the past twenty-five (25) years by past and present members of the Fremont Police Reserve Organization.”

1983

In September of 1983, Deputy Chief Heyen began the "Citizen Report” program.  For cases of theft or burglary with loss under $500.00, victims could call the PD and request a report form.  The multi-copy form could be used for insurance or tax purposes.  The PD kept statistics on these crimes.  Citizens could still request an Officer to respond instead of the self-reporting method.

1984

 
An artistic shot of a cruise night in August 1984. This is Fremont Blvd at Peralta Blvd in Centerville.

By 1984, “cruising the strip” was a significant policing problem in Fremont.  On a regular basis, the youth of the tri-valley area would occupy areas of Fremont Blvd between Mowry Ave and Thornton Ave.  Centerville was a common place for cruising.  This created problems with traffic congestion and loitering in general.  Much of the department's patrol time was spent dealing with traffic violators, fights, and general disorder.  On a regular basis and especially during the summer time, the department deployed enforcement operations to discourage “cruising”.

Ofc. Jerry Kasich on a cruise night enforcement stop.  Ofc John Amsbaugh is in the background.

Ofc. Ken Lawrence patrols the strip on a “cruise night” in Centerville.

In 1984, the Fremont Police Department created a physical fitness program where Officers were able to work out at a local gym.  Funding for each officer was authorized by the City Council.  The “Flex-Fitness” program began.  Each officer was evaluated beforehand and given an individual program designed to strengthen weaknesses.  They were tested quarterly to check on their progress.  Each Officer was allowed to work out for 1 hour, 4 times a week while on duty.  The program was intended to head off stress related ailments, early retirement and disabilities.  The local gym was intended to supplement the department's own gym, which had fewer amenities.

A 1980’s view inside the police station’s gym.  The new flex-fitness program gave employees far more options to stay in shape.

The flex-fitness program continued for several years until funding was no longer available to pay for a local gym.  With the construction of a new police building in 1996, a proper gym was constructed.  This made it easier for officers to work out on site and return to their shift in a quicker response.  The “flex-fitness” program has proven over the years to be a valuable asset in employee health and fitness.  It is still in use today.

1985

In 1985 the department had 157 sworn officers, a gain of 22 since 1980.

Officer Jan Gove.

On December 11th 1985, Sharon McCormick of the Tribune newspaper published an article about Officer Jan Gove.  The article followed Ofc Gove through an entire swing shift patrol duty.  It mentions her calls for service, opinions and results of that 8 hour shift.  The article gives a good description of a typical patrol shift in 1985.  Also mentioned is the fact Gove was one of 16 officers assigned to swing shift.  There were no cell phones or computers in the patrol cars at this time. 

A view of the Motorola MODAT technology in each patrol car.

Besides a two-way radio, her car had the “MODAT” communication system.  That was a series of buttons an officer would push that coincided with commonly used radio codes.  Pushing any of the buttons would send that message to dispatch without the need of tying up valuable air time on the radio.

The most commonly used buttons were:

• 10-49   Enroute
• 10-97   Arrived on scene
• CO-4   No further assistance needed
• CO-7   Mealtime request
• 10-8    In service
• GOA   Gone on arrival
• ADJ    Call for service or incident adjudicated 

Also present but used less often were:

• 980   Hold all radio traffic for this call
• 11-99  Emergency, Officer needs assistance

1986

Officer Bob Illes.

On November 28th 1986, a gun battle took place in which Ofc Bob Illes was wounded.  A caller complained about a man brandishing a gun at the “Fat Fannies” nightclub, 3950 Mowry Ave.  Officers arrived and a vehicle pursuit began.  The suspect, 27 year old Moses Arispe, fled east on Mowry and lost control of his car near Parkside Drive.  Arispe began firing his 9mm pistol at the officers, who returned fire.  Arispe was shot and seriously wounded.  Ofc Bob Illes was struck in the thigh.  He was later able to recover and returned to full duty status.   The incident revealed that Arispe was wanted in Texas for murder.

An article in the Oakland Tribune about Fremont’s new Deputy Chief, Craig Steckler (7/2/86)

In July of 1986, the City Council authorized a Deputy Chief position.  Piedmont’s Police Chief, Craig Steckler was hired for the position.  Ron Hunt was promoted to Captain.

At this point in the decade, Fremont PD’s patrol car fleet reached a total of 50 cars.  On average they were driven 18 hours a day and averaged 35,000 road miles a year.  An agreement between city fleet maintenance and the police association meant that cars were replaced upon reaching 70,000 miles.  They were typically replaced every 24 to 26 months.  The 70,000 miles marker did not account for the amount of time the car's engine sat running at idle. Accounting for that meant the vehicle's condition was more like 100,000 miles.

A typical example of a Fremont PD Chevrolet Caprice of the 1980’s

The extra stress of police work eventually puts more fatigue on the car’s parts, which affect the car’s safety and resale value.  Early in 1986 the department hoped to replace 12 aging vehicles with Chevrolet Caprices that were equipped with the 9C1 “police package”  The Chevrolet Malibu’s mentioned in 1980 were discontinued by General Motors in 1983.  The new Caprices were larger sedans than the Malibu which was appreciated by many taller patrol officers.

Most of the members of the Explorer post of the 1980’s.  Front row left to right: Jeffrey Campbell, Jeff Snell, Butch Miller; second row: Dianne Dulkevich, Joline Draper, Mark Ford, Jose Pereira, Jennie Bauer; Back row: Jeff Lutzinger, Mike Towan, Paul Ford, Fred Bobbitt, Tim Messner, Dave Schlim, Jeff McDonald and John Serratt.

During the 1980’s and especially the later part, the department's Police Explorer post was very active.  The explorers volunteer many hours of time, completing various administrative tasks in direct support of the police department. They participated in an explorer training academy held at Treasure Island.  A child safety identification fair was held at the Fremont Hub in 1986.  At the safety fair FPD’s Explorers worked jointly with Union Cities Explorer post and finger printed 3,670 children.

FPD Explorers Mike Towan (back) and John Serratt at the Fremont Cable TV detail.

In October of every year the Explorers provided support for the Candle Lighters ghost house, a tradition dating back to the origin of the Explorer Post in the 1960’s.  A child identification project was completed where Explorers finger printed and video taped children at the Fremont Cable TV studios.  They participated in the department's open house by providing guided tours of the police headquarters.  Several explorers assisted the jail staff by working in handling a variety of assignments in secured areas. They held monthly meetings to provide training and discuss issues of the time. 

The Explorer’s various duties allowed them to gain a deeper understanding of the profession and see what it's like to be a police officer in action.

1987

FPD Ofc Timothy Smith (foreground) Ofc Bill Moon (background).

On January 2nd 1987, FPD Ofc. Timothy Smith #1902 went for a run around Lake Elizabeth.  When Smith returned to the station he collapsed near the report writing room.  Officers performed CPR on Smith.  He was transported to Washington Hospital but did not survive. Smith was only 33 years old.  Tim served the citizens of Fremont from 1/4/1982 to 1/2/1987.

The first “Neighborhood Watch” signs were installed to deter crime.  CSO Chris Brown is on the ladder and assisted by Kourosh Nikoui.

In 1987, Fremont, California, implemented a Neighborhood Watch sign program as part of a broader crime prevention initiative. The program aimed to deter crime by visually demonstrating that the neighborhood was actively monitored and would report suspicious activity to the police.

1988

A photo of the department's first in-car computer system.  This was a “GRiD Systems corporation” brand 286PC. GRiD Systems was located in Fremont which made technical assistance for FPD very convenient.

In 1988 Fremont PD was the first department in the nation to install functional laptops in the patrol fleet.  This effort was led by Sgt. Chuck Hastorf, and Officer’s David Jenson, and Ray Torrez.  Chief Steckler was a Deputy Chief at the time with oversight of the computer support unit.  Chief Steckler had read an article about an electrical power company in Virginia that had laptops in their vehicles and asked the computer support unit why Fremont PD couldn’t do the same for police vehicles.  It took about a year of work on the part of the unit and a partnership with Grid laptops of Fremont and Johnson radio to get the system working but they were successful and the rest is history as they say.

Some of the original FPD DARE Officers (left to right: Dave Roberson, Mark Kratz, Sheree Wright, Bill Hoefs and Sgt. Allen Holm)

In September of 1988, the Fremont Police Department started a pilot program called D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) which was becoming popular in California law enforcement.  It involved Officers traveling to local schools and providing presentations and materials related to drug abuse education.  The program began with four Fremont elementary schools; Patterson, Harvey Green, Cabrillo and Millard.  The program started with four officers and one sergeant.  They were: Sgt. Allen Holm, Ofc Dave Robertson, Ofc Mark Kratz, Ofc Sheree Wright and Ofc Bill Hoefs.

The program known as DARE was modeled after a project that began in Los Angeles in 1983.  The idea was to teach elementary age students how to deal with peer pressure over drugs and alcohol abuse and promote alternatives to drug use, such as sports, athletics and music.

The DARE program in Fremont was considered successful and was expanded to other elementary schools.

1989

On October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. , the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred near the central coast of California.  It measured 6.9 on the richter scale and killed 63 people.  Over 3700 were injured.  That earthquake damaged the Fremont Police Department’s headquarters building and raised serious concerns about the safety of its facility.  A computer simulation was conducted to determine the performance of the building during a major earthquake.  Wooden beams and girders were erected to strengthen the building.  

One issue was that the police building was built as an addition to the city government building.  At the time built, there was no requirement to fasten the two buildings together.  The thought was that if an earthquake caused the two buildings to move away from each other the second and third floors of the building would collapse.

The buildings were also built directly on top of the Hayward earthquake fault.  The 25,000 square foot police building was already overcrowded and its safety was in question. There were no other facilities in the city available to house the police department.  It soon became clear the Fremont Police Department needed another new facility.

An aerial photo of the police department and city government building taken during the earthquake damage assessment.

By the time the 1980’s came to an end the Fremont Police Department had seen a large growth in personnel. The department had 191 sworn officers, up 56 since the start of the decade.  The city's Warm Springs District was being developed with “high-tech” business’ and in the next decade would usher in a whole new type of crime. 

In the 1990s, Fremont, California experienced significant growth and development, largely fueled by its connection to the booming high-tech industry of Silicon Valley. The city, particularly the Warm Springs District, became a hub for semiconductor and telecommunications firms, attracting companies like Cirrus Logic, Mattson Technology, and Lam Research. Fremont was also home to the first Apple computer manufacturing plant, producing the original Macintosh computer.  The city’s population grew from 173,389 in 1990 to 203,413 at the end of the decade; a gain of 30,027 people.

During the 1990s the department increased its sworn staff by two persons, totaling 201.  The civilian staff rose by 14 to a total of 106.  A Police Officer's salary in 1990 ranged from $37,800 to $45,912 per year. 

1990

 
An article from the Oakland Tribune (10/2/90)

With the rapid expansion of Silicon Valley came a new type of policing problem; “High Technology crime”.   The southern bay area, also known as “Silicon Valley” was the heart of technology production in the 1990s.  The computer memory chips and processors (CPU) being produced were valuable, in demand and readily available at Silicon Valley manufacturers.  The theft of these computer chips became a significant problem for law enforcement.    The semiconductor industry became victims of take-over style armed robberies.  Organized crime groups specifically targeted distribution locations leading to millions of dollars in losses.  It was not uncommon for beatings and kidnapping to take place.  Fremont investigated several high tech robberies since many computer chip distributors were located within the city,.  In 1990 alone, Fremont recorded over $5.5 million dollars in losses.  By the end of the decade, a technology focused task force was created and Fremont PD participated.

The jail control room being rewired by city staff.

In 1990 the Fremont City Jail was remodeled.  A new camera monitoring system was installed.  A new prisoner booking station was constructed and the mug shot photo area was upgraded.

1991

Chief Robert Wasserman on the day of his retirement as Chief.

In September, Chief Wasserman retired from the department, ending 40 years of service to Law Enforcement.  Wasserman later ran for and was elected to the Fremont City Council.  He served 12 years on the council and was elected Mayor of Fremont in 2004.

A newly delivered 1991 Caprice awaits its police markings and equipment.

Fremont PD’s police fleet of the 90’s included the new version of the Caprice sedan. The 1991 Chevrolet  Police Package Caprice received a significant redesign, including a larger, sleeker body with smoothed-in bumpers and a more aerodynamic profile. The 1991 model introduced a driver's side airbag and anti-lock brakes, which were not available in the 1990 model. The 1991 model had some improvements to interior space, particularly in elbow and hip room; it also had a redesigned dashboard.

1992

In June Deputy Chief Craig Steckler was appointed as Fremont's 5th Chief of Police.

The Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 caused the old city government building to settle and created a safety hazard.  The City Hall staff were  moved out of the city government building and into leased facilities on Capitol Ave. This left the Police Department as the only occupants of the building.  City crews did some reinforcement to the building to make it somewhat safer but it was not up to standards.

The new police facility is under construction.

In 1992 the City entered into a contract with an architectural firm and construction company to plan and build the next Fremont Police headquarters.  The cost of the new police building was roughly $22M and was originally contracted for 80,000 square feet.  Due to the economic downfall in 1992-93 the size was reduced to 67,000 square feet.  It took three years to complete the building with numerous delays with the contracting firm and sub-contractors.  It was eventually completed and Fremont PD moved into the building in 1995.

Because of the severe economic downturn in mid-1992 the City Manager directed all departments to reduce authorized staffing.  At that time Fremont PD was authorized 203 sworn positions, although not all were filled. The department was directed to reduce the sworn complement to 180 officers.  The department was able to do this by eliminating vacant positions and attrition with retirements.

1993

In 1993, the department restarted a police canine program that had been abandoned in the 1980s under Chief Wasserman. Wasserman, now a City Councilman, was initially opposed to the use of canines. After several meetings and policy development he agreed to support the effort and the department brought on five new canines.  The program was very successful and still has an active program to this day.

Sgt Allen Holm & K9 Kairo (1993-1999)

Ofc Tom Mikkelsen & K9 Igor (1993-1997)

Ofc Chris Mazzone & K9 Gus (1993-1998)

Ofc Mark Riggs & K9 Canto (1994-1998)

Ofc Kyle Wright & K9 Hasso (1994-1998)

In 1993 City Manager Roger Anderman retired and the City hired Ms. Jan Perkins. She fully understood the needs and public safety objectives of the police.  She was the City Manager for 10 years and was extremely supportive of the Department.

1994

Shown is an example of the new 1994 Chevrolet Caprice.

The police vehicle fleet was changed dramatically in 1994.  The department went back to a black and white themed livery not seen since the 1960’s. A new door logo was created featuring a greyed out version of Fremont's police badge.  In bold black lettering the word “POLICE” was placed in front of the badge.  Below that in blue cursive was “City of Fremont”.  Other markings such as vehicle number and specialty assignments were in gold lettering to contrast with the black portions of the car.

The new paint and vehicle markings scheme was introduced with the newest version of the Chevrolet 9C1 police package Caprice sedan. This new 1994 model year had a new high performance engine.  The new LT1 5.7 liter engine produced 260 horsepower and used technology borrowed from the Corvette.  This new engine provided the most significant performance improvement since the 1970’s.  The Caprices became a favorite of many patrol officers.  The department's community service officer vehicles retained the previous white with blue stripe theme.

In 1994 the “4-11” shift was developed and team policing instituted.  The new schedule offered patrol officers the ability to work four shifts of 11 hours and then have four days off.  A few times a year they would only have 3 days off in order to create a department training day. The shift went through some adjustments and modifications over the years but is still in use today. 

In 1994 Fremont PD adopted the COPPS model of policing (Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving).   As time went on Fremont PD moved away from using the COPPS acronym and the policing style became known as the Fremont PD model. 

In 1994, the department did away with employee evaluations.  Chief Steckler felt the evaluation system depended too much on statistics and wanted something that reflected more of what an officer or professional employee did on a daily basis and how it tied back to our policing philosophy.  Several years later a new evaluation system which was designed and accepted by the bargaining units was used for promotions and assignments.  This system was more reflective of the person's work.

The department created the JLMC’s (Joint Labor Management Committees).  Fremont PD developed three committees (Fremont Police Association, Teamsters, and Service Employees International Union).  Each committee had representatives from the bargaining unit.  The department started out tentatively addressing simple issues, but as time went on the committees evolved and not only addressed simple everyday issues around the department but also complex policy development, changes in uniforms, technology purchases, and a whole host of other issues that were important to the members of the department. 

1994 was the year Chief Steckler created the Citizens Advisory Group. This was a group of 20 citizens the Chief selected from various disciplines and professions to act as a sounding board for department policy development.  Chief Steckler wanted this group to review new policies as well as some of the equipment purchases to get a sense of perspective from the average citizen. 

The department started an internal publication called "The Rapsheet” which was developed to give its members a monthly update on the department activities, to highlight employees’ efforts, celebrate milestones in employees’ careers, mention birthdays and births of children as well as identify both sworn and professional employees of the month.  The publication has gone through many changes over the years as well as many different editors but is still being used today.

In 1994, the department started a School Resource Officer program, placing uniformed police officers in each of the city’s five high schools.  The purpose of the program was to ensure a safe and positive learning environment and serve as a resource for students, parents, and school faculty.  Since the officers were physically located at the campus sites they provided security, education, and incident response.  The SRO’s worked closely with school staff and administrators to address issues and ensure student safety.  They were responsible for enforcing the law and maintaining order on campus.  Any crimes reported or discovered were investigated by the SRO unless the complexity required handing the case off to an FPD Detective.

Potential SROs went through a testing process to be selected for the position. Once they were chosen, they received specialized training that continued throughout their assignment. The position was initially granted for two years, with an option to extend the assignment up to three additional years.

The SRO program has been a very successful program that has saved patrol officers countless labor hours by not having to respond to every call for service generated on campus’.  Fremont PD’s School Resource Officer program is still in operation today.

1995

In 1995, Captain Lanam was assigned to the Patrol Division command position.  He was given the assignment to bring community policing to the Fremont Police Department.  He created nine teams of employees and identified nine police agencies throughout the United States that had a reputation of an outstanding community policing program.  Each team visited one agency and with a set of predetermined questions they conducted research and interviewed line personnel.  The team members learned a lot from these sight visits and brought back the best practices to Fremont. 

One overarching issue identified was that in virtually all of the agencies visited, the first line supervisors, usually sergeants, had been left out of the planning, implementation and training when the organization moved to the community policing model.  The department learned from that and included the sergeants in every phase of the implementation in Fremont.  The department brought in outside experts to provide training to all personnel and included employees from other City Departments as well as selected members of the community.

In 1995 the new police campus was completed and the department began its police operations there.  The new facility was opened at 2000 Stevenson Blvd.

The department assumed supervision of the Animal Control Services which had previously been under the direction of the Parks and Recreation Department.  For a number of years the unit was supervised by an assigned sergeant.  Several sergeants worked the assignment and Chief Steckler believed it was a good learning experience for a sergeant to be responsible for a unit.  The department eventually hired a civilian manager for the unit in 2011.

1996

The department created a full time Crime Analysis Unit and hired Shelly Greene as the manager.  The department added another analyst a few years later and the unit had three personnel by 2012.  In 2011 Captain Lucero recommended that the department move towards an intelligence led policing model. The department concentrated more on identified serious offenders, intelligence gathered by officers, and information from the community to target serious habitual offenders. 

The department created the Cultural Diversity Training program which was accepted by POST (Police Officers Standards on Training) as a model program.  The credit, creation and design of the program goes to Captain Jan Gove along with several officers and sergeants.  They designed the 40 hour class in which all police employees were required to attend.  In the 90’s Fremont’s population became increasingly diverse. The information provided by cultural diversity training gave our department's staff a better understanding of our community. The patrol staff benefited by understanding the relationships new residents had with the law enforcement communities in their country of origin. 

1996 was the year the department moved away from a six sector area policing model.  Instead of sectors the department adopted a three patrol zone style.  This was done to facilitate community policing and to give a sense of ownership to the officers assigned to the zone.

Sgt. Robert Bradanini

Before his retirement in 1994 Sgt. Bradanini was instrumental in forming a committee and researching the use of semi-automatic pistols for the department.  Prior to 1996 the entire department’s handguns were revolvers.  The committee identified the Sig-Sauer brand of pistols as the ideal weapon for the department.  Officers were authorized to purchase the weapon for on-duty use.  In 1996 the Department purchased replacement and updated versions of the weapons for all officers. 

In October the department began using a newly developed suspect restraining device called “the wrap”.  The new device used a sheet of plastic and a series of velcro straps to immobilize a violent suspect's legs from the ankles to about the mid-thigh.  Handcuffs could also be attached to the wrap to help prevent arm movements.  Handles allowed officers to carry suspects to an awaiting police car.  The department purchased 60 wrap devices and equipped every patrol car with one.  Patrol officers were provided ongoing training with the wrap which is still used today. (10/13/96 Oakland Tribune article)

A crowd watches the new building dedication.

In the summer of 1996 a ceremony was held to officially dedicate the new police facility.  The public was invited to hear speeches from community leaders and the building's dedication plaque was revealed.  Guided tours were provided so the public could see the inner workings of the new facility.  FPD Motor officers demonstrated their skills for the public to see.  The canine unit put on live demonstrations to show how canines interact with suspects.  Many of the department's vehicles and equipment were available for public inspection.

Chief Steckler is at the podium giving a speech.  On the left is Capt. Mike Lanam and Capt. Ron Hunt.  On the right is Capt. Keith Jackson and Ofc. Kerry Wooldridge.

The building's dedication plaque is revealed.  (left to right is Chief Wasserman, Councilman Bill Ball, Mayor Gus Morrison and Ofc. Tony Duckworth)

The traffic unit's motor officers gave a public demonstration in the rear lot of the police department.  (front to back pictured is Officers Chris Guckert, Stewart Peters, Kevin Moran, Jeff Campbell, Dan Clark and John Flynn)

Sgt. Allen Holm is playing the role of a suspect while Ofc Chris Mazzone readies  his canine “Gus”.

1997

In 1997, the department started a formalized volunteer program called “HAPP” which was a team of senior volunteers from the community that performed handicapped parking enforcement.  The program was very successful and eventually grew to have well over 100 volunteers.  It was renamed CARE.  Much of the credit for the CARE volunteer program goes to Ms. Geneva Bosques and her team in the Community Partnerships Unit.

CSO Joyce Alessandrino and Sgt. Chuck Uhler in front of the new City Service Center.

In 1997 the department opened a “Police City Service Center” at 34129 Fremont Blvd.  It was located in the Charter Square Shopping Center at Fremont/Enea.  The small site provided a location for the department to interact with the community in the north end of the city.  The location was not staffed full time but provided Officers a place to write reports and meet with citizens.  The service center was shut down after only a few years.

This photo depicts an example of high-technology crime. The moving van is filled with stolen Quantum computer equipment.  On the left is Ofc. Glen Miller and on the right is Ofc. Mark Riggs with K9 Canto.

By 1997, high-technology crimes were an ever growing problem in the Bay Area.  A task force called R.E.A.C.T. was formed.  The task force was made up of state, federal and local law enforcement officers, and district attorneys.  The state law enforcement officers were sworn as “Special Deputy U.S. Marshalls” and issued federal law enforcement credentials.  The mission of the Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team (REACT) was focused on investigating and prosecuting high-technology crimes. It was established in 1997 by the California State Department of Justice to address the growing concerns about cybercrime, identity theft, and technology crimes. The Task Force Members worked collaboratively with private industry to combat these crimes.  The Fremont Police Department assigned one full time detective and a sergeant to the REACT Task Force in 1997.  Fremont PD participated in the task force until 2011 when staffing shortages forced its withdrawal.

1997 Attack on the Animal Shelter 

In April 1997 an incident took place at the Tri-City Animal shelter within the FPD campus.  The attack destroyed the front entrance of the building and injured two employees and several civilians. Several months prior, Animal Service Officers had confiscated two dogs from the Motel 6 North.  Several complaints had been filed alleging the occupant was neglecting the dogs.

The destroyed front portion of the Tri-City Animal Shelter.

The 47 year old male suspect made several attempts to retrieve the animals and it eventually led to an incident on Tuesday, April 15th about 6:00pm.  The suspect entered the shelter and became enraged when officials required him to sign release papers.  He fled the shelter on foot and entered his Chevrolet dual cab pick-up truck.  He then positioned his vehicle about 150 feet away and in line with the front entrance of the shelter.  After revving his engine several times he then drove the truck in reverse through the front lobby of the building.  The impact destroyed the entryway and employee work areas as the truck penetrated the building some fifty feet or so.  FPD Captain Keith Jackson was standing right in the truck's path at that time.  He managed to jump out of the way and received a leg injury from the shattering glass.  Capt. Jackson was able to call for back up and Officers quickly arrived.

A photo of the destruction inside the shelter facility.

The suspect then drove out of the building and led pursuing Officers in a vehicle chase.  The chase ended when the suspect crashed his truck into five stopped vehicles at the intersection of Paseo Padre and Walnut Ave.  That impact caused a chain reaction collision that involved an additional five cars.  Several persons in those vehicles received minor injuries, including a 16 year old girl who had to be cut from the wreckage.

The scene of the crash at Paseo Padre/Walnut Ave.

The suspect was taken into custody, later convicted and received a four year prison sentence.  There were several dogs and cats in the shelter that day and none were injured.  The animal shelter building was eventually repaired and received additional safety features to prevent a future vehicle attack.

1998

 

 
FPD’s two mobile field headquarters are side by side. (new vs. old)

The department purchased a new mobile command vehicle which was much larger than the previous one from 1966.  A 30 foot Winnebago was purchased with the help of the community and a number of businesses in town.  At the time it had state of the art dispatch capabilities and room to manage large events. 

Captain David Livingston was charged with creating a new evaluation system that included a 360 degree element where subordinates were asked to evaluate their supervisors.  Captain Livingston created a committee of officers and supervisors to take on the challenge of creating an evaluation document that would be acceptable to everyone.  The committee spent a significant amount of time and effort, including researching other departments' formats and finally presented an evaluation system to staff for review.  The new evaluation system was adopted and has been in use ever since with a few modifications over the years.  The evaluations are used not only to give officers feedback on their performance but are also instrumental in the decisions regarding promotions and reassignments.  Similar evaluations are used for CSO’s and dispatchers as well as other members of the department.

In 1998, the department created a Trauma Support Unit.  Sgt. Curt Codey was instrumental in getting this program up and running.   This was a highly effective program to assist members of the department who were involved in critical incidents and officer injuries and deaths.   The program expanded with members of the department from all units and sections trained in peer support.  Numerous departments around the Bay Area asked Fremont PD to present how they started and maintained the program.  The department has been asked by several agencies over the years to provide trauma support during critical incidents that occurred in their agencies.  Much of the success of this program goes to Ms. Beth Dansie who was the consultant and staff psychologist.  She was brought into the program in 1999.

An example of the honor guard of this decade shown with the canine team. (left to right pictured is: Jill Martinez & K9 Igor, Jeff Campbell & K9 Brando, Kelly Snow, Mike Eads, Dennis Madsen, Bill Veteran, Tim Hunt & K9 Goliath and Kevin Gott with K9 Abarth)

In 1998, the department started a formal Honor Guard team.  Sgt. Robbie Haffer and Sgt. Tony Tassano deserve much of the credit for the formation and training of the Honor Guard team.  The team has participated in numerous events both at Fremont PD and outside of the Department.

At 4:16am on Sunday March 29th 1998, a bomb exploded at the home of Fremont Police Chief Steckler.  He and his wife were asleep inside but did not suffer physical injury.  That explosion marked the beginning of a series of six explosive devices planted by a suspect soon to be known as the “Fremont Bomber”.  In the afternoon of that same Sunday, a second explosive device was found at the home of Robert Wasserman, former Fremont Police Chief and City Councilman at the time.  The bomb was detonated by the Alameda County Bomb Squad.  At 8:05pm, two bombs exploded at a multi-million dollar mansion on Corte Del Sol.  An occupant of the home narrowly avoided injury. 

A map of the bomb locations as it appeared in the Oakland Tribune.

On Monday the 30th at 6:30pm, a fifth explosive device was discovered at a house under construction on Vista Del Sol.  It was diffused by police.  The next day at 10:30am, a bomb was found already exploded at a water tank belonging to the Alameda County Water District in that same Mission San Jose neighborhood.

The ensuing joint investigation by the F.B.I., A.T.F. and Fremont PD revealed the Fremont Bomber was a former Chicago Police evidence technician.  He was a conspiracy theorist and targeted the Fremont Police Department, its members and others related to a real estate transaction.  The investigation revealed the bomber had future plans to target the Fremont Police building and other locations.

A jury found the Fremont Bomber guilty on all charges and he was sentenced in 2001 to a term of 37 years to life in prison.

1999

The department's recreation of a FPD patrol car from 1958.

In an effort to celebrate the department's history, a 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne sedan was purchased for $400.  A team of volunteers contributed hundreds of hours of labor which was needed to restore the vehicle.  Their efforts involved replacing the engine with a more modern version, replacing the interior, and repainting it to resemble one of 1958.  The staff at the city corporation yard located a period correct rotating beacon that had been in storage for many years.  A siren known as a “growler” was installed.  The department's star logo was painted on the doors.  The restoration took three years and was completed in 2001.

The department still has the restored vehicle, which is used for special events.  Some of those events are the annual July 4^th parade as well as the annual Niles Christmas parade.  Credit for leading the overall effort to rehab this vehicle goes to Officer Dan Clark and his team.

When the new building was constructed one of the cost savings measures was the deletion of the police motorcycle parking garage.  In 1999 the department converted the bicycle storage area to the east of the building into a motorcycle parking structure.  It can hold up to 15 motorcycles and is still in use today.

An example of some FPD motorcycles in the motor shed.

This was the year that our personnel in the computer support unit installed CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) technology on the laptops in the vehicles.  This allowed for the transmission of data over analog cellular lines.  The department had issued e-mail accounts for all employees this same year. This allowed officers to send and receive e-mails with attachments such as police reports to their sergeants for review.  Fremont PD was one of the first cities to accomplish this adding to their reputation as leaders in the use of technology to support officers.

In 1999 Fremont PD adopted an automated report writing system developed by Tiburon, the CAD/RMS vendor.  It took almost three years of work to bring this program to fruition but it forever changed the way officers would write reports and how they were approved by their sergeants.  The program has gone through several iterations and modifications but is still in use today.

When the new building was finished the department knew there would not be enough secured parking for all employees in addition to the departments’ fleet.  The employee overflow parking was the lower tier lot of the old City Hall/Police facility but was not secured.  1999 was the year that the department finally obtained funds to fence in the lower tier lot with a card key gate system that provided the necessary secured parking for employees.

This was also the year that Fremont PD abandoned the old low band radio system and contracted with Alameda County to go onto their 800 MHz high band radio system.

In 1999 the department went to the team policing concept as part of their community policing effort.  Chief Steckler felt that a true team environment needed to include professional [non-sworn] employees and not just sworn personnel working patrol.  The department was able to negotiate an agreement with the Teamsters (CSO’s, and Dispatchers) to work a 4-11 shift and still conform to the Federal Fair Standards Act which required everyone other than sworn personnel to be paid overtime for all hours over 40 hrs. a week.  The department reached an agreement that allowed Dispatchers and CSO’s to work the same schedule and be on the same teams as officers.  Detention Officers were exempt from FLSA overtime requirements and also changed their shifts to the 4-11.  Now everyone other than staff and clerical personnel worked the same shift with the same supervisors.  It was Chief Steckler’s belief that this made Fremont PD even stronger through better coordination and instilled a true team feeling.

A 1999 Chevrolet CSI Tahoe in service with Fremont PD.

Prior to 1999 Fremont’s Crime Scene Investigators drove standard patrol cars.  In 1999, the department purchased its first ever pursuit rated Chevrolet Tahoes.  These two-wheel drive SUVs were lowered at the factory and certified for police use under the 9C1 police package.  The new Tahoe’s provided more room than a standard patrol sedan which was needed by the CSI’s for all of their equipment.  They were equipped and marked with the same livery as all patrol vehicles.

By the end of the 1990’s the department had significantly changed the way policing was done in Fremont.  New strategies were developed to combat high-technology crimes, including the full time participation in the REACT Task Force.  A new police campus was fully operational and a new look for its patrol fleet gave the department a fresh image.  Crime was trending downward by the end of the decade and some of that was credited to Fremont’s adoption of the COPPS method of policing.  Another contributing factor was the 1994  "three strikes you're out" rule, which led to a substantial increase in the number of people incarcerated.

Leading up to December 31, 1999 there was much public paranoia over the “Y2K” computer “bug”.  Many older computer systems used only two digits to represent the year, and it was feared that upon reaching "00", they might misinterpret the date as 1900, causing widespread malfunctions.  This led to predictions of societal collapse with disruptions to essential services like power, water, and banking, as well as transportation and even potential nuclear threats.  The City of Fremont and the Police Department began preparing ahead of time by upgrading its computer systems.  Upon the stroke of midnight essentially nothing happened.  In Fremont, the police department dealt with the usual New Years eve parties and calls for service but that was it.

The 2000s In Fremont were greatly affected by a high-tech boom and then bust.  By 1999, approximately 750 high-tech companies had established their offices, headquarters, and production facilities in Fremont.The NASDAQ stock market started its dramatic decline in April 2000, signaling the collapse of the dot-com bubble. However, Silicon Valley, and by extension Fremont, remained a major research and development hub.

Construction of Pacific Commons, a large regional shopping center in the Warm Springs District, continued to transform the commercial landscape of the area.  In 2009, construction began on the BART extension to Warm Springs, which would eventually lead to the opening of the Warm Springs/South Fremont station in 2017.  The years 2007-2009 were also marked by the Great Recession, which significantly impacted California's economy with record unemployment, a housing market bust, and budget shortfalls.

In the first decade of the 2000s the department's total staff declined by 37 people.  The sworn staff lost 31 officer positions. The professional staff (non-sworn) was reduced by 6 positions.  Meanwhile, the City of Fremont gained 10,676 people in overall population.

2000

In 2000, the Fremont Police Association negotiated the “Three percent at 50”  retirement benefit. Unfortunately one of the unintended consequences was it led to a lot of retirements. In fact, 49 sworn employees retired between 2000 and 2004.  This put an extreme strain on the department’s recruiting efforts, resulting in a large segment of the department being young and inexperienced.  The department lost a lot of organizational knowledge and historical perspective due to retirements, but it also brought a significant number of younger officers into the department and with that a new vitality and eagerness.

In May of 2000, the department took delivery of a portable shooting range trailer.  The new training aid was contained within a towable trailer made by Shooting Solutions.  It provided officers the ability to train for “Shoot, don’t Shoot” scenarios.  Officers used their own duty weapon and were faced with situations in front of a video screen.  The content of the situation changed based on the training operators settings.  Special ammunition was used that disintegrated upon contact with the screen.  The officers decision making and shooting accuracy was graded by the on-board computer system. 

The range trailer cost the department $135,312 and came at a very good time.  The old indoor range in the previous police station was soon to be torn down.  A new indoor shooting range was not completed until 2010.

In 2000 the city entered into a contract with Redflex to install red light cameras at selected intersections. These new cameras were intended to provide automated enforcement for red light violations, which are a significant cause of injury traffic collisions.  The Redflex system used sensors which would activate multiple digital cameras.  The cameras recorded a rear view of the vehicle with license plate and another captured the front, showing the driver.  The images were processed by Redflex and then reviewed by an officer of Fremont PD.  When the officer decided there was sufficient probable cause, a citation was then mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.  Contested violations were adjudicated through the normal traffic court process.  The department started with 4 locations and by 2025 had a total of ten intersections with 15 red-light camera approaches in operation. The cameras take a total of four photographs and a 12-second video of the violation.

By 2000 the economy was recovering from the recession of 1992-93 and the department was up to 207 authorized sworn personnel and 130 professional employees.  Many of these positions were added as a result of funding made available in the form of grants from the Federal government.  The COPS funding bill, also known as the “Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994” provided grants for hiring new community policing officers.

In 2000 Fremont PD received the Community Policing award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police for its community policing program for cities with populations between 150,000 and 200,000.

Running for Fremont’s 1989 Baker to Vegas is Jeff Farmer.

The Fremont Police Department has actively participated in the annual Baker to Vegas 120 mile running relay from Baker, California to Las Vegas, Nevada since 1989. From 1989 to 2025, the department competed 21 times.  The department's team ran in the police agency's under 300 sworn class.  The team won 1st place 6 times (1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, & 2005).  Fremont’s running team won 2nd place 3 times (1995, 1998, & 2006).  Fremont’s team competed regularly until 2018.  The Baker to Vegas relay was a point of pride for the runners and the members of the department.

Fremont’s 1st place winning team in the 1999 Baker to Vegas relay. (top row: Ron Nevin, Curt Codey, Tom Mikkelsen, Brian Shadle, Bob Davila, Mike Lanam; second row: Calvin Gaziano, Steve Clark, Dennis Moore, Barry Fowlie, Rod Little, Dennis Madsen, Bill Norman; third row: Dan Harvey, Kim Petersen, John Liu, Bob Nelson, Gus Arroyo, Joe Geibig and Frank Grgurina)

2001

In 2001, the department determined there were concerns with the sergeant’s testing process as well as the policy regarding transfers and reassignments.  There were other issues starting to come to the forefront so the department hired an outside consultant. The consultant did small group interviews and identified a number of issues that needed to be addressed. A committee was formed of officers, sergeants and other staff to design a new sergeant examination.  The department implemented the testing procedure the following year and has used that model since 2002. 

Captain Jan Gove

In 2001 Jan Gove was promoted to the rank of Captain and was the first female in the history of the department to attain that rank. 

To honor the fallen of 9/11 FPD uniformed personnel wore this pin.

The attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 significantly reshaped policing in America, shifting focus towards counterterrorism and homeland security, leading to increased federal involvement, enhanced information sharing, and a militarization of local forces. This shift also raised concerns about civil liberties and the potential for overreach by law enforcement.

Fremont PD now had the responsibility of protecting Fremont from possible terrorist attacks.  The department joined the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) the following year.

2002

After five years in the new police building, the jail still remained in the old facility.  The department's property and evidence section was located at the Sequoia road city corporation yard.  In 2000 construction was started on the new jail and combination property evidence section.  The new jail and property section would finally be completed on the main police campus just south of the police building in 2002.

In 2002, the department introduced the Training Review Board program.  This process  reviews critical incidents from the perspective of training and this has led to a number of new training modifications in addition to being used to defend the department in several lawsuits.

In 2002, Chief Steckler met with the Alameda County Chiefs Association members and suggested that Fremont PD study the ability to share information between agencies electronically.  The idea was approved and each agency sent a representative to the first meeting which was hosted by Fremont PD and coordinated by Crime Analysis Manager Shelly Greene.  That first meeting eventually led to the system Fremont PD has today for sharing information in Alameda County.  Alameda County’s Technology center is the coordinating organization.  This effort replaced the old CORPUS system (Criminal Oriented Records Production Unified System).  The new system is called CRIMS (Consolidated Records Information Management System).

In 2002, Captain Livingston resigned to take the Police Chief position in Pleasant Hill, eventually moving over to Concord PD as Chief.  He was eventually elected as Sheriff in Contra Costa County.

A shot of the new jail after completion.

In 2002, the new jail and property section opened.  The jail was a state of the art facility for its time.  It had a capacity of 58 prisoners.  The property and evidence system was also state of the art with room to grow for 20 years.  This brought all of the department's functions into one police campus.  The campus consisted of the main police building, jail, property and evidence and animal services.  An automotive garage was built on the campus and  a City mechanic was assigned to the police facility.  The mechanic handled all of the smaller tasks associated with vehicle maintenance.

2002 was the first year the department used computer technology for patrol shift selections.  A web based application was developed with the help of Officer Randy Burkhammer, Detectives Bill Veteran and Bill Wack.  The department has used this system since 2002 with some upgrades and modifications.

2003

By the first part of 2003 Fremont PD had grown to an authorized staffing level of 212 sworn positions and 130 professional positions.  Then the “dot com bust” and decline of the industry cost the City millions in revenue.  At the same time the State of California was having more problems with their budget.  The Fremont City Manager directed the department to reduce its staffing levels down to 189 sworn.  Several police officers attending the police academy were scheduled to be laid off, however, Chief Steckler was able to help them find jobs at other agencies.  Fremont PD finally did reach the 189 figure after retirements so no one else was laid off from the sworn ranks.  Fremont PD did have to lay off several professional employees that were not eligible to transfer to another vacant position or bump someone else under the City’s lay off rules.  Fremont PD reduced the professional staff positions from 130 to 98.

2004

Even with a bad economy Fremont PD still needed to keep the Department operational.  Chief Steckler was steadfast in that the department would not reduce training efforts and would not cut the training budget.  Training was too important, especially with less officers to do the job. 

In 2004 the department issued TASERS for all sworn personnel to add to the complement of non-lethal tools.  Studies showed that TASERS would reduce injuries to officers as well as to suspects.  Fremont PD developed a model policy in conjunction with the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) which is a Washington, D.C. police think tank.  The policy was a model for other agencies to use when they adopted TASERS or other similar devices.  Eventually Fremont PD authorized and purchased TASERS for CSO’s and Animal Control officers also.

In 2004 Fremont PD upgraded the CAD/RMS system with the Tiburon company. A unified Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management System (RMS) offers numerous benefits, including streamlined dispatching, improved coordination, enhanced communication, reduced human error, and better data-driven decision-making. By integrating these systems, the department improved operational efficiency, enhanced situational awareness, and ultimately improved public safety.

Demolition in progress.

In 2004 the City Government Building and Fremont’s second police department was demolished.  The PD had moved all services except the jail into the new building in 1996.  The decision to demolish the building was made as the cost to retrofit it would have been more than to replace it.   The 13 acre property was turned over to the parks department and redeveloped as parkland.  The back parking lot was later developed into pickleball courts for public use.  The flagpole and some 15,000 bricks were salvaged for possible future use.

The signage at the site of the old City Government Building.

Little remains in 2025 but a set of white metal stairs that once led police staff to the rear lower entrance of the department. Markings can still be seen on the curbs designating the parking stalls and vehicle numbers assigned to those stalls.  A plaque designating the site as part of an “Earthquake Walk” shows a picture of the former building.

2005

In 2005 the department changed its policy for the police response to burglar alarm calls.  In order for a police response to take place, some form of verification was required. Due to the staffing reductions over the years the department was not able to respond to over 7,000 alarm calls a year when its data showed 99.7% were false alarms.  It was time for the alarm industry to take some responsibility for their own calls.  Fremont PD was the first City in California to implement verified response and the second largest city in the nation to do so.  The department faced a backlash from the initial negative press coverage and the outrageous claims made by the alarm industry.

2006

In 2006, the Chief and Command Staff were asked to provide additional information on the flex fitness program.  They argued that the program was beneficial to the health of its members and was also keeping the departments on-duty injury rates low.  It was also a benefit that helped with recruitment and retention.  The City Council agreed and that program is still in effect today. 

Training with the department's patrol rifles (left to right: K.B. Miller, Kim Petersen, Matt Snelson, Matt Bocage, Jason Franchi and Darwin Foote)

In 2006 the department added patrol rifles to the fleet.  This gave officers the choice of carrying a rifle or a shogun.  The entire department received training with the new patrol rifles.

In 2006 the department began using IAPro software as an early warning system for use of force situations.  The software provided the department with information to suggest if an officer might be headed for any type of disciplinary problems and allowed early intervention with training instead of discipline.  The software was later upgraded to a similar type called “blue team”.

New technology was established which allowed officers to transmit their reports via wi-fi.  There were access points placed at key city buildings that allowed connectivity with the department's servers.  This was a huge leap forward since in previous years officers would have to manually transfer the reports via floppy disc and later USB drives.  That transfer would sometimes corrupt the files and the reports could be destroyed.  Officers would have to completely re-write their reports.

2007

Members of the newly formed CARE volunteer program.

In 2007, FPD’s Geneva Bosques introduced the CARE volunteer program and made a presentation to the City Council.  The program grew to almost 200 volunteers at its peak. The volunteer staff members assist the department with work that Fremont PD did not have the staffing or time to complete.

Fremont’s 2007 SWAT Team members from Urban Shield (left to right Matt Snelson, Jason Riechers, John Harnett, Mike Tegner, Sean Washington, Sam Contrada and Chris Alberti)

In 2007, Fremont’s SWAT team took first place in the first annual Urban Shield competition.  Urban Shield was a 48-hour continuous exercise conducted throughout the Bay Area Urban Areas Security Initiative region in Alameda, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties. First responders were mobilized and deployed to 38 different exercise scenarios hosted by 23 various agencies. (www.bayareauasi.org/)  This scenario-based exercise addressed the core competencies and response capabilities of law enforcement tactical teams, emergency medical service providers, hazardous materials/urban search and rescue teams, explosive ordinance disposal teams, as well as addressed intelligence and critical infrastructure protection.  Fremont PD competed in Urban Shield regularly until funding for the training was no longer available and it ended in 2018.

Dispatchers Mark Giubbini (left) and Andrew Platt (right) at their 2007 “enhanced” consoles.

In 2007 Fremont PD’s dispatch center started accepting wireless 9-1-1 calls from the public.  Prior to this all wireless 9-1-1 calls were directed to the CHP dispatch center in Vallejo and were then rerouted to Fremont’s dispatch center.  In 2007, the main benefit of Wireless 9-1-1 was improved location accuracy for emergency calls, specifically through Phase II Enhanced 911 (E911). This allowed Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and first responders to pinpoint the caller's location more precisely, leading to faster response times during emergencies.

In 2007 Fremont PD introduced the over the shirt tactical ballistic vest as an option for officers rather than wearing a vest under their shirts.  This transfers much of the weight from the duty belt/waist to the shoulders which in theory would reduce lower back injuries.  Fremont PD was the first city in California to introduce this vest and one of the first in the nation.  Internationally outer vests have been standard equipment but the idea took a while to be accepted in the U.S.

2008

In 2008, the department trained all of our Community Service Officers and Animal Control Officers in the use of the TASER.

The department started the installation of the in-car cameras.  They seemed to work well but a year or so later the company that Fremont PD purchased them from went out of business.  This caused a lot of problems getting service and parts. The department  kept them operating until we could find another vendor and replace the cameras. 

Officer Robyn Boersma, who was  assigned to the Street Crimes Unit, brought forward a program called Crime Free.  This was a program that targeted multiple unit facilities sucj as apartment buildings to help bring down the number of calls for service. It was a program that brought apartment managers together and trained them on how to conduct background checks on potential renters as well as the eviction process.  It also shared information on problematic renters between apartment managers.  The program was highly successful and reduced calls for service up to 80% in the apartment complexes that participated.

The department’s 50 year anniversary badge.

2008 was the 50^th anniversary of the Fremont Police Department and Captain Bob Nelson and a committee designed a new badge to celebrate that milestone.  The badge was authorized for duty wear.  The new badge featured a banner at the top stating “50th ANNIVERSARY”.  On each side of the shield were American flags in full color.  The center ring bears “FREMONT POLICE” and “1958-2008”.  The state seal in the center now featured a blue colored sky, red jewels and green grass.

The new range and training facility upon completion in 2010.

In 2008 a proposal was made to build a new indoor firing range and training center. Funding for the new facilities was made possible by a bond measure passed by the voters. The initial proposal was to build a joint Police and Fire Department training center.  However a location could not be found that was large enough to house both departments, so the bond funds were split.  That allowed the Police Department to build a training center on campus.  The Fire Department built a training center in conjunction with the fire station location at 7200 Stevenson Blvd.

The new police training center would be located between the main police building and the jail/property warehouse.  It would feature 10 shooting lanes at 50 feet long.  Each lane would be capable of both handgun and rifle fire.  The classroom would seat 60 and feature a presentation system.  The building was designed to house a range masters office, weapon cleaning stations, and a weapon storage/repair center. The new training center was completed in 2010. Captain Grgurina and Sgt. Epps were involved in the design and build of this state of the art training center.

Chief Steckler at the new range and supervised by Range Master Sgt. Pat Epps.

The department entered into an agreement in 2008 with Alameda County and Contra Costa County to develop a joint interoperability radio system in the 700 MHz band.  Lt. David Lanier was charged with seeing this project through to the conclusion.  This effort would include new handheld radios and entirely new radio systems.  Fremont PD eventually went live with the project in 2012 and now have interoperability with every agency in Alameda and Contra Costa County.

In 2008 the department adopted the Lexipol policy manual as their official policy manual Most agencies in California are participants with Lexipol.  The benefit of being a Lexipol customer is that they keep the policies current with best practices and court decisions that often change policies.  This was a major implementation project that would take several years.  Fremont PD had to reconcile existing policies with Lexipol and make the appropriate modifications  Each policy was reviewed by Department experts then brought to staff for a comprehensive review.  There were numerous changes that were made to policies. 

2009

In 2009, the City of Fremont adopted a new Place of Entertainment (POE) Ordinance. This ordinance regulates businesses that provide live entertainment and are licensed to serve alcohol. The purpose is to minimize negative impacts such as noise and disorderly conduct, while still supporting arts and culture. POE license holders are required to control patron conduct, provide adequate security and crowd control.  They must comply with state and local laws, minimize disturbances and must install and maintain security cameras.  The Chief of Police has the authority to inspect POEs and modify business practices if they negatively impact the community. The ordinance was adopted in 2009 and updated in 2015 to lengthen the license term, clarify security requirements, and add a second type of license.

2009 was the beginning of the retrofit of the main police building for earthquake hardening. The original building was designed with welded steel plates. The Northridge earthquake which occurred after Fremont PD moved into the building uncovered that welds were not as stable as bolting the plates together.  Engineers recommended retrofitting all of the welds. This was to be an 18 month effort and brought much disruption to the organization.  Even though the work crews worked during the evening hours the department had to move the entire Dispatch function to the training room.

The department started to rebuild its lost staffing in 2009 then the “great recession” started to have impacts. The department was ordered to reduce staffing and had to make budget cuts again. Funding for training and the associated objectives, was a program that Chief Steckler did not reduce.

Members of the department completed 10 sight visits to other agencies roughly the same size.  The purpose was to determine how those agencies were dealing with downsizing.  The result was that Fremont PD was already doing almost everything other agencies were doing and that we were still ahead in using technology and maintaining shift minimums.  The overwhelming number of agencies did not have shift minimums and instead worked with whoever showed up that day.

In 2009 Fremont PD changed the front desk hours from 24-7 to a 5:00 PM daily closure.  This put an extra burden on the Dispatchers to handle after hour issues normally handled by Records personnel.

The years 2000-2009 was a time of much change for the Fremont Police Department. There were significant budget issues which meant the department lost many positions, both sworn and professional staff (non-sworn).  There were advancements in training and technology.  A new Fremont City Jail/Property warehouse was constructed along with a training center and range.  A celebration marked the 50th year anniversary of FPD.  By the end of 2009 the department's focus was maintaining service with a reduced staff.  

From 2010 to 2019 there were several noteworthy developments for the Fremont Police Department, particularly concerning transparency, accountability, and the adoption of new technologies. The economy was recovering from the great recession in the previous decade. The previously shuttered GM manufacturing plant was now producing Tesla’s electric vehicles. The City of Fremont had committed to converting much of its vehicle fleet from gasoline to hybrid/electric, which included the Police Department.  FPD began replacing aging vehicles with hybrids, first with CSO patrol cars and then unmarked Detectives cars. In the later part of the decade the first fully electric patrol car was introduced.

The passage of proposition 47 in 2014 had a significant impact on the department with an increase in property crimes and drug abuse. The proposition reclassified certain drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.  It also allowed people previously convicted to petition for the reclassification of their convictions from felonies to misdemeanors or even dismissal.

During the 2010’s the department increased its sworn staff by three persons, totaling 181. The civilian staff rose by 1 to a total of 100. By the end of 2019, the population of Fremont had gained 26,798 people.

A Police Officer's salary (base pay) in 2011 ranged from about $96,668.12 to $106,301.22 per year. 

2010

In 2010 the retro-fit of the main police building was in full swing and was very disruptive to the work environment. Work on the outside involved removing the exterior wall facades and modifying the steel plates. On the inside a number of offices, the locker rooms, and the crime lab were impacted by the work. It took many months but when it was finished the department's facility was better prepared in the event of a major earthquake.

 
Officer Todd Young

In August, Officer Todd Young was shot serving an arrest warrant with Officer Eric Tang in Oakland.  The Oakland Police Departments Officers likely saved Todd's life with a lone decision to transport him to the hospital themselves instead of waiting for an ambulance.

Officer Young spent 51 days in Highland Hospital and underwent numerous surgeries to repair the damage caused by the shooting. It took two years for Todd to recover but eventually he returned to full duty status.

The suspect was caught in San Diego trying to flee the country and after a trial was convicted of attempted murder of a police officer, carjacking and other crimes. He was sentenced to two life terms.

In October of 2010, Traffic Motor Officer Patrick Brower was intentionally run over by a suspect attempting to escape from a burglary. The suspect was driving a van and broadsided Patrick on his police motorcycle, pushing him into a curb with the van coming to rest on top of him. He suffered severe injuries and was off work for months. The suspect was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to 21 years to life in prison.

In 2010 the department started the “NIXLE” community notification system. NIXLE is a mass notification system used by local agencies to share important information with the public, particularly during emergencies. It provides a platform for secure, reliable, and relevant communication between government agencies, businesses, and community members.

The department began preparing its personnel for the introduction of social media (Facebook and Twitter) as part of the Department's efforts to communicate and involve the community. These became valuable tools not only for communication but also investigations. 

2011

In 2011 the department began a social media campaign first with Twitter and then Facebook. They and other platforms have become a regular part of the Department and its interaction with the community.  Many crimes have been solved with the use of social media.

In 2011, The Department was directed to change the 4-11 patrol shift configuration.  Captain Grgurina along with a team of officers, sergeants and lieutenants created a modified 4-10 plan that still allowed for 4 days on and 4 days off. In 2013 the Department went back to the 4-11 patrol shift model. 

Sgt Steve Revel & Lt. Mark Riggs standing next to a soon to be decommissioned 2007 Ford Crown Victoria.

In 2011, The Ford Motor Company ceased production of the Crown Victoria Police interceptor.  Fremont had successfully been using the Crown Victoria since the 1990’s. This meant a new standard patrol vehicle had to be identified. 

A drivers training instructor Michael Collins is coaching a community service officer in the operation of the new Ford Escape Hybrid at EVOC training.

In an effort to align with the City’s commitment to reduce its gasoline only vehicle fleet, the department purchased nine Ford Escape SUV hybrids.  These were deployed into the Community Service Officer fleet as older cars wore out. 

Sgt. Sean Washington with the “Peacekeeper” in 2011.

Chief Steckler and Captain Lucero supported department funding and grant funding for a new armored vehicle to replace the aging and mechanically failing Peacekeeper armored truck. The need for a replacement was also initiated to add ballistic protection superior to what the Peacekeeper could provide. At the time, Fremont PD was identified as one of three county agencies part of the Alameda County Terrorist Response Team. Oakland PD, Alameda County Sheriff, and Fremont PD would respond to acts of terrorism and deploy specialized equipment. Once funding was secured, Sergeant Sean Washington and Officer Kelly Snow led the project, including the design and accepting delivery from the manufacturer of a Lenco BearCat armored rescue vehicle in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Built on a Ford F-550 platform, the BearCat was equipped with the latest technology, ballistics, run-flat tires, and other equipment. The FPD created use policies and provided training for members of the department before deployment.  As of 2025, the vehicle is still in use.

The BearCat with Ofc. Eric Marcelino on the motorcycle.

2012

2012 was a difficult year for the department as two FPD Officers died. Officer Tom Fazio passed away early in the year after a valiant struggle with a rare form of cancer. He was only 30 years old. At the end of the year Detective Donald George passed away unexpectedly at the age of 48.

Members of the TEMS team, Justin Dillman, Gary Ashley, Michelle Griese, Shawn Decker.

On a more positive note, Captain Kimberly Petersen had worked on creating a TEMS (Tactical Emergency Medical Support) program for the SWAT team. Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) is a specialized field focused on providing on-site medical care to law enforcement special operations teams during high-risk situations. TEMS teams, composed of medical professionals embedded within these tactical units, are trained to deliver immediate medical assistance in austere and dangerous environments. This includes responding to injuries sustained during active shooter events, hostage situations, and other scenarios where traditional EMS may face significant delays or risks.

Fremont’s TEMS program, originally developed by Captain Petersen,  began with Fremont Fire personnel finishing reserve police officer training and becoming part of the SWAT team.  The Fire personnel were Capt. Chris Shelley, Capt. Gary Ashley and Firefighter Justin Dillmann.  This program enhanced relationships between the Fremont Fire and the Fremont Police Departments.

In 2012 the department launched a new radio communications network in the 700mhz band. This new system provided full interoperability between agencies in Alameda and Contra Costa County.

On the day of his retirement line-up Chief Steckler (right) is presented with an American flag by the new Chief, Richard Lucero. In the background is Chief Frank Grgurina of Sunnyvale Police. He was a former Fremont Captain. Members of Fremont and other departments gathered to honor Craig Steckler in his retirement.

On December 30th of 2012, Chief Craig Steckler retired after serving 45 years in Law Enforcement, 26 years with the Fremont Police Department. Rich Lucero was named as acting Chief of Police.

2013

In January of 2013, the department issued Apple iPhone 5 cellular phones to every sworn officer. This was the first widespread use of “smart phones” by the department's officers. It was the first time officers would have mobile access to email outside of their patrol car computers. It also provided quick access to a camera which could be used to document crime scene photos. Easy access to the internet and text messaging became a valuable resource. The use of smart phones would later provide the basis for many department policies in their use and retention of data. 

An article about Fremont’s Pay to Stay program. (Oakland Tribune 7/24/2013)

In 2013 the department’s “pay to stay” program began. It was designed to offer those convicted of misdemeanors in Alameda County an opportunity to serve their sentences at Fremont’s City Jail.  People who used the program paid a $45 administrative fee and $155 per night toward their jail sentence. At the time, 58 beds were available. To apply, a misdemeanor convict would get a judges order and be screened by jail officials. The applications were made available on the department's website. Not all persons were approved. Those with a history of gang association, violence or major health problems were referred to the county jail population instead. The program was expanded to include outside counties and remained operating until 2021.

Richard Lucero is sworn in as Fremont’s next Chief of Police. This took place at the Fremont City Council Chambers. Administering the oath is Craig Steckler.

April 8, 2013 – Fremont City Manager Fred Diaz announced the appointment of Richard Lucero as 6th Police Chief for the City of Fremont. Lucero had been serving as Interim Police Chief since Dec. 31, 2012, when Fremont Police Chief Craig Steckler retired. Lucero’s career with the Fremont Police Department began in April 1987.

This photo depicts the new signage at the entrance of the main Police building.

In September of 2013, The Fremont Police Department’s facility at Stevenson was renamed the “Robert Wasserman Fremont Police Center”. This was in honor of retired Chief Wasserman who served the city for 37 years. After retirement from Police Chief, Robert Wasserman became a Fremont City Council member and later served as Mayor.

The dedication plaque honoring the late Robert Wasserman that was placed at the entrance to the Police Building at 2000 Stevenson Blvd.

The new public safety mobile command vehicle upon its delivery in 2013.

In about November of 2013 the department took delivery of a new public safety mobile command vehicle, designated as number 213021.  At the direction of the FPD command team, Lieutenant Sean Washington, Officer Kelly Know, and Fire Captain Gary Ashley worked on designing this vehicle which was intended to replace the aging mobile field headquarters motorhome #671.  This was the third command vehicle since Fremont PD’s creation in 1958.  The new vehicle was a major improvement in technology and capability.  It was designed as a joint development between the Fremont Fire Department and the Police Department.

213021 was a 2013 Pierce (Oshkosh) “Velocity” custom chassis. The Pierce Velocity custom chassis features a Detroit Diesel 450 hp engine, a 274-inch wheelbase, a Command Zone advanced electronics system, and an automatic leveling and stabilizing system. The two-door cab has a 34.5-foot mobile command body with an 85.75-inch interior walkway height and three slide-out modules to increase workspace.

Interior highlights include six workstations, a comprehensive satellite data network, dual wireless modems, a radio dispatch system, and an IP-based telephone network. An extensive audio video system is linked to 27 monitors located throughout the vehicle. The unit’s A/V system is managed by a matrix switcher, with five remote keypads that allow individual monitor display control from each keypad. To extend on-scene capabilities, the apparatus is equipped with complete galley and lavatory accommodations.

The vehicle's intent was to serve both the Police and Fire Departments during emergencies such as disasters, major fires, tactical situations, hazardous incidents, major crime situations and events requiring an on-site coordination center.

With the fire department’s ability to house, operate and maintain the command vehicle, the apparatus found its home at a Fremont fire station. A two-person SWAT team, trained to set up the vehicle’s systems once on site of a police emergency, was cross-trained to drive the apparatus.

The new mobile command vehicle was on display for members of the press.  The former command vehicle can be seen in the background.

The $1.3 million dollar vehicle was partially funded via a UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative) grant.

2014

Sport Utility Vehicles as patrol cars

Each year the Michigan State Police (MSP) conducts testing on new police vehicles and provides the data to all U.S. Law Enforcement. Their evaluation includes acceleration and top speed, braking, vehicle dynamics and also ergonomics and communications. The MSP testing process has become the gold standard for evaluating police vehicles. The Fremont Police Department often uses the MSP data to determine which model of vehicles will become the next FPD Patrol cars.

A 2015 model of the new Ford Explorer SUV patrol vehicle. This one is a supervisor's vehicle, which had no visible light bar. It’s parked in the lot of the former police station and city government building. Only the stairs in the background remain of the former facility.

With the discontinuation of the Ford Crown Victoria the department evaluated and selected the Ford Explorer SUV as its replacement. This decision had a significant impact on the daily patrol shift of every officer that drove one.  Switching from a sedan to a sport utility vehicle required a significant amount of training. The Crown Victorias were rear wheel drive sedans. The new Explorers were configured as “all-wheel drive” models. This offered a higher level of traction during emergency vehicle operations but required the officers to undergo training for the change. Also, a taller SUV has a higher center of gravity which affects its handling during cornering, especially in pursuits.

 
A new Ford Explorer at EVOC training at the Alameda County fairgrounds in 2017. Since these vehicles are all wheel drive, a special device has been attached to the rear wheels called the “drift lift” The purpose of this device is to induce a loss of control of the rear tires. The students had to learn to regain and maintain control in a loss of traction scenario.

Members of the department participate in yearly EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operators Course) training.  In this 2017 photo a marked Ford Explorer is driving the pursuit course, followed by a patrol motorcycle and unmarked Ford Explorer.

In this photo Traffic Sgt. Dan O'Connell is riding the EVOC pursuit course. 

Members of Fremont’s emergency vehicle operations team created a new lesson plan and training course specifically designed around the new vehicles.  Each officer was required to complete the course as part of their annual training.  By 2014, the new Ford Explorer patrol cars were beginning service in the patrol fleet. At this time, the fleet consisted of approximately 181 vehicles. There were 64 marked patrol cars, 18 motorcycles and 61 administrative vehicles. Nineteen vehicles were gasoline/electric hybrids which represented 14% of the fleet. There were also several trailers and service vehicles to include the mobile command headquarters.

FPD Supervisors vehicle 214-604, a Chevrolet Caprice.

During the search for a crown victoria replacement, the department purchased a few Chevrolet Caprice sedans. These Holden manufactured 9C1 police package four doors were purchased as rear-wheel-drive models. They were equipped with 6.0L V-8 engines and an automatic transmission.  The sedans were quick to accelerate and had a top speed of about 155 mph. After real world testing in the department's fleet it was decided the Ford Explorer was more suited for Fremont’s needs.

Consolidation of dispatch centers (FPD/UCPD)

In mid 2014, an 18-month effort began to consolidate the dispatching functions of the Union City Police Department with the Fremont Police Department. This would become the Regional Communications Center (RCC). It was seen as a cost savings measure for both departments which used the same vendor for computer aided dispatching.  The actual dispatch functions were carried out in Fremont’s dispatch center. Initially, one UCPD shift per day was dispatched by Fremont PD. 

Fremont Police invested $1.4m into the design and construction of the systems required to consolidate. UCPD invested about $423,000 toward the project. Today, the RCC is now responsible for handling 9-1-1 calls and dispatching for both Fremont and Union City.

The beginnings of body worn cameras

In 2014, as an alternative to in-car camera systems, the Department purchased a small number of body-worn cameras to be worn by traffic officers. In 2017, the program expanded to several specialized units, including the SWAT team and Special Investigations Unit. The pilot program approach allowed the Department and City Information Technology unit to study and evaluate the effectiveness, as well as the technology, data storage and best practices.

2015

In 2015, the department completed installation of a solar power generation system. The system was part of an initiative by the City of Fremont to lower carbon emissions and provide clean renewable energy. The solar arrays were installed in the department's parking lots and provided protection from the sun and rain to its patrol car fleet. This was an upgrade for the fleet which had previously stored patrol cars in open parking lots since the department began in 1958.

Shown is the solar array system installed in the lot at the Police Campus.

The department's solar array was part of several installed at city facilities such as the city corporation yard, Irvington community center and Aqua Adventure Park. The four location system was designed to produce 1.5 megawatts of power.

Together, these systems offset 14% of the City's electricity consumption for all municipal operations and reduce municipal greenhouse gas impact by 5%. These reductions were the equivalent of 422 homes' worth of electricity usage, and offset the same amount of carbon as by 13,205 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.

2016

Citywide Camera Program

On June 17, 2014, the Police Department received approval from the Fremont City Council to allocate funds ($300k) for a community-based video surveillance camera project in the City of Fremont. The original scope of the project was to install 10 community based video surveillance cameras at entry and/or exit points of the city and mobile cameras that could be used at events and to investigate crime in hot spots. The cameras were only installed along and directed toward public roadways.  The fixed cameras were not continuously monitored and only utilized for investigative purposes.

The cameras were equipped with license plate reader technology that digitally read the license plates of vehicles passing the camera. License plate readers, like video, have been shown to drastically decrease the time it takes to locate suspects and vehicles associated with criminal activity.

In March of 2016, the first camera was installed at the freeway on-ramp at Stevenson Blvd. and northbound I880. The city-wide camera system was improved and expanded over the years and is still in use. Credit for the creation of Fremont’s citywide camera program goes to Lt. Mike Tegner and his team.

The BearCat MedEvac vehicle

In 2016 the Fremont Police Department entered into an agreement with the San Leandro Police Department to purchase and operate an armored rescue/MedEvac vehicle. Captain Sean Washington submitted a joint grant application to the California Office of Emergency Services Homeland Security Grant Program. The MedEvac was the first vehicle of its kind in the Northern California region. The grant funded the majority of the vehicle purchase.  Fremont PD and San Leandro PD split the remaining $100,000 needed to fully fund the vehicle.

Similar in appearance to the BearCat, the MedEvac, the purpose of the vehicle was to assist with providing immediate medical assistance, enhancing the ability of first responders to rescue persons in need and help protect first responders at the scene of an emergency situation. It provided first responders the ability to give immediate medical care to injured persons and provide faster transportation to area hospitals. Additionally, working with our Fremont Fire partners, the MedEvac was equipped with a fire suppression nozzle law enforcement to mitigate fires during situations that are unsecured and potentially expose first responders to gunfire or other dangers.

The BearCat MedEvac vehicle has proven itself over the years to be a valuable asset and is still in use in 2025.

2017

Fremont PD Mobile Evaluation Team (MET)

MET was officially created in January of 2017. Fremont MET borrowed many concepts and ideas from Oakland PD’s MET, which is a partnership between Oakland PD and ACBH.MET (Alameda County Behavioral Health Motivational Enhancement Therapy). Captain Kimberly Petersen and Sergeant Paul McCormick worked together to create this program. 

The department's MET welcomed its first officer to the team in May of 2017 and the second officer in July of 2017.Washington Hospital Healthcare System (WHHS), which had been an early advocate of MET, agreed to provide a Crisis Nurse/Crisis Care Coordinator to the team, full-time, at no cost to the PD. That position was filled in September of 2018.  Concurrently, City of Fremont Human Services recruited and hired a full-time Crisis Intervention Specialist, with an agreement that the person in that position would work 20 hours per week with MET. That position was filled in May of 2019.

To better leverage the skills and knowledge of the Crisis Nurse/Crisis Care Coordinator, MET started minor unofficial case management services to address members of the Fremont community who were high utilizers of emergency services (Fire, Police, EMS). The goal was to redirect those individuals to appropriate service providers for long term case management services and care.  Around the same time, MET became more involved in the growing number of calls for service involving the City’s homeless population. 

In May of 2019, the Crisis Intervention Specialist (CIS) joined the team; the CIS had prior experience working with a regional homeless services provider and was a welcomed addition to the team. Their focus of effort was to engage with our homeless population and to be a liaison between Fremont Police, City of Fremont Human Services, and area homeless services providers.

FPD Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Program (UAV)

FPD UAV unit patch

 

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Unit was created on September 29, 2016 by Captain Kim Petersen after discussions by Lieutenant Snelson and Sergeant Romley. The concept of utilizing drones was first discussed during a SWAT Technology Officer interview with Officer Perry. Officer Perry discussed the emerging technology of drones being used to support first responders. Officer Perry collaborated with Fremont Fire Department Battalion Chief’s Jeff Kleven and Gary Ashley, who were also experimenting with the implementation of UAV technology to supplement firefighters during fire operations.

On May 17, 2017, a community meeting was held to share information about the City of Fremont's Public Safety Unmanned Aerial System program. Topics at the meeting included the intended use of the UAV's for Police and Fire, FAA flying requirements, case studies, specific capabilities and specs of UAVs and Department policies.

In early 2017, The Fremont Police Department fully funded the UAV Unit and staffed it with a handful of officers. On February 11, 2018 the first successful apprehension was made when a UAV was used to locate a suspect hiding in an industrial area. As of July 2025, the UAV Unit consists of 30 officers, sergeants, and CSOs. The UAV fleet consists of 17 active UAVs (most equipped with FLIR) and there have been over 4500 flights and missions since 2020.

2018

On the day of his retirement line-up, Chief Richard Lucero shakes the hand of Kimberly Petersen.

On July 25th of 2018, Chief Richard Lucero retired after 31 years of service with the Fremont Police Department.

Kim Petersen being sworn as Chief of Police.

On September 18th 2018, Kim Petersen was sworn in as Fremont’s 7th Police Chief.  She was Fremont's first female Chief of Police.

During 2018 the department purchased and deployed one additional Ford Fusion Hybrid Plug-In for its command staff.  At this point, the Chief, Captains, and Administrative Lieutenants were driving hybrid vehicles.

Also in 2018 and after a year of research and completion of the formal request for proposal process, a department committee recommended WatchGuard’s integrated Vista WiFi body-worn cameras and 4RE panoramic in-car camera video system. Earlier in the year, the Fremont City Council authorized approximately $2 million for the purchase of the new systems.

The goal of the agency-wide distribution of body-worn cameras for officers was to enhance safety, improve agency accountability, reduce City liability, improve community/media perceptions, and advance prosecution. In terms of evidence collection, body worn cameras and in-car cameras provided an invaluable record of statements, physical evidence, and timeline of events during crimes in progress and other critical incidents. The body-worn camera program is managed by the Department’s Special Operations Division.

New Ford F150 Police Responder Vehicles

In late 2018 the department bought two Ford F-150 “Responder Vehicles”. The trucks were purchased to replace two older patrol vehicles decommissioned due to age and condition. The department selected the F150 Police Responder vehicle after conducting significant research, cost comparison, and analyzing the needs of such a vehicle for emergency operations.

The 2018 Ford F-150 Police Responder was the first pursuit-rated Ford pickup truck, featuring a 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine, 10-speed automatic transmission, and 4-wheel drive with an FX4 off-road package for enhanced performance in varied terrains. Key police-specific features included a police-calibrated brake system, heavy-duty components like a 240-amp alternator and anti-stab plates in the front seatbacks, and an interior designed for law enforcement with vinyl flooring and a column shifter for equipment space.

The department's first Ford F-150 Responder

The cost of the Ford F150 Police Responder was approximately $1000 more than the standard Police Ford Explorer. The truck has a sporty look and the rims pictured are part of the standard F150 Police Responder package.

The F150 helped to diversify the fleet, providing the Department with an off-road emergency operation capability beyond that of the Ford Explorer. In a major incident, the truck could travel off-road and the bed of the truck could transport a person to an ambulance. The open bed of the truck also allows for personnel to transport items such as bicycles, car parts, and other items that do not fit in the Explorer. Additionally, the F150 has much more room than the Ford Explorer, which is beneficial for taller officers in the cab, as well as prisoners or other riders in the backseat.

2019

A Fremont Police Officer's salary (base pay) in 2019 ranged from about $114,541.99 to $131,135.16 per year.

FPD’s Tesla patrol car

In March of 2019, Captain Sean Washington, Lieutenant Eric Tang and Sergeant Jeremy Miskella worked to make Fremont PD the first department in the nation to deploy a fully electric patrol car. The 2014 Tesla model “S” was selected for the first vehicle. Since one had not been outfitted as a fully functional and deployable police car before, the vehicle had to be sent to a specialty shop to custom fit the police equipment.  The vehicle (214-548) underwent a one year pilot program (March 2019-2020) to determine its usefulness as a patrol car. After the study was completed, the department determined it could be used for police services.  

New Police Department Website

In December of 2019, a new Police Department website was launched.  After undergoing a complete rebuild, the new mobile friendly website featured a modern design, enhanced search capabilities and user-friendly menu navigation.

In spring of 2019, the Police Department engaged several website designers and after a competitive bid process, Granicus was selected as the new website developer. With more than 4500 customers at the time, Granicus had worked with several California cities and agencies including San Jose, AC Transit, Napa County, Los Angeles, Ventura and West Hollywood. The new site received a modern government URL and was located at www.Fremontpolice.gov.

Being an agency that serves Silicon Valley, the use of technology was a critical component of the new public communications platform. With more than half of users accessing the police website via a mobile device, the redesign team focused on building a site to ensure the most requested information was prominently displayed. The site was also built with accessibility in mind.  The last major redesign of the police website was completed in 2010, and this new version offered a completely new online experience.

In addition to the new main website, the Department launched a subsite dedicated solely to recruitment.  Due to retirements, promotions and attrition, the Department has averaged 15-20 officer vacancies over the last several years. The subsite was one of several new initiatives, including a $10,000 hiring bonus, that had been implemented in 2019. The subsite was complementary to the new main website and offered candidates a front-row view into the Department’s culture, career growth opportunities and even an opportunity to chat with a recruiter. It also featured a modern design and was friendly to users on mobile devices. The subsite was located at:  www.fremontpolice.gov/hiring

The decade spanning from 2010 through 2019 was a period of significant shifts and challenges for the police department, encompassing evolving crime trends, a growing focus on police accountability and use of force, and the introduction of new legislation and technology.  Staffing challenges from previous lost positions impacted the department administratively and operationally.  It began the use of body worn cameras, unmanned aerial vehicles and a city-wide camera system.  Many changes in the vehicle fleet meant new vehicle challenges and additional officers training.