FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ/KFSN) — Interim Police Chief Mindy Casto has been named the new chief of the Fresno Police Department.
The announcement was made during a press conference Thursday morning with mayor Jerry Dyer and city manager Georgeanne White.
Casto had been in an interim role since June 13, after serving as a deputy chief.
She has been with the department for nearly 30 years. Fresh out of high school, she became a cadet in 1996 and was hired by the department in 1997.
Casto is the first female police chief in the department’s history.
In 2022, she was named one of Marjaree Mason Center’s Top Ten Professional Women. She now serves on the board of the organization, which provides shelter and services for those affected by domestic violence.
In previous reporting, Casto stated she was unsure if she would apply for the permanent position.
Her husband, Steve Casto, is a sergeant in the support division working on Axon software development.
Nepotism rules did not prevent Casto from taking on the chief position because she will not be in direct command of her husband.
