‘A new chapter:’ Sachs appointed chief of police

After 17 years with the department, Christian Sachs has been appointed the new Marysville police chief.

The promotion was announced in a city press release Friday. The release outlined Sachs’ career: a California Highway Patrol Lifetime Achievement Award for auto theft recovery; a Mothers Against Drunk Driving award for the most DUI arrests in Northern California; a Yuba County Probation Victims Service award; and the 2017 Marysville Employee of the Year award.

“It’s exciting,” Sachs said Friday. “It’s a new chapter, a new beginning for me and for the department.”

Sachs takes over the position from former chief Aaron Easton, who left the post in November following reports he is the subject of a sexual assault investigation that allegedly took place in 2008 while he was an instructor at the Yuba College police academy.

Sachs, currently a lieutenant, has been serving as interim chief since.

Before joining the Marysville Police Department, Sachs, 43, was a reserve officer for the Williams Police Department in 1996, and served as an officer from 1997 to 2001.

“Hiring Chris was the easiest personnel decision I’ve ever had to make,” Marysville City Manager Marti Brown said in the press release. “He is innovative, dedicated, responsive, hard working, a quick problem solver and has a great sense of humor... He’s a tremendous asset to the Marysville team.”

Sachs has had his hands full the past few months, leading a number of projects like the new animal control program set to roll out within the next 30 days. A part-time animal control employee, partnered with a Loomis-based nonprofit organization, will lead a trap, neuter and spay program as well as a low-cost vaccination and chipping program.

Officers have also recently begun a new community policing program, which Sachs hopes to fine-tune over the coming months.

Under the new program, instead of dividing Marysville into nine sections there will be four zones, with two officers assigned to each. Those officers will be tasked with interfacing with a youth representative, community members and community stakeholders to form a collaborative team.

Teams will be tasked with meeting Marysville Police Chief Chris Sachs regularly to establish needs assessments, come up with SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely) goals, develop solutions to meet those goals and make sure those goals are met.

Another goal is working with community partners to reduce the homeless population.

“We’re continuing with those community programs, and constantly evaluating processes to see what we can improve,” Sachs said. “We want to be progressive and innovative in new strategies.”

In the press release, Marysville Mayor Ricky Samayoa said he’s proud of the community policing projects and has no doubt Sachs will fulfill the department’s mission.

Sachs said he will also work on filling his current lieutenant position, hopefully internally, as well as continuing recruitment and retention efforts. Though his to-do list is growing, Sachs said, he is committed to strengthening the department’s relationship with the Marysville community.

“I just want to continue to progress not only for the department, but for the city as well,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the challenges.”

The chase lasted only a few minutes, but toward the end he allegedly revved his engine as if to run officers over and was subsequently shot in the arms and legs.

Mills is receiving treatment for his injuries at Sutter Roseville Medical Center. Carbah said he is expected to remain there for a few days, and once released he will face charges in Nevada County for burglary and assault with a deadly weapon.

“We are working with Nevada County and our shooting remains under investigation,” Carbah said.

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