Fremont Police Chief Kim Petersen retiring after 25-year career

Capt. Sean Washington will become first Black man to lead department in October

FREMONT >> After 25 years of work in the Fremont Police Department, Police Chief Kimberly Petersen announced she’ll retire in the fall, when she’ll have been the city’s top cop for a little more than three years.

“It has been an honor to work alongside the men and women of the Fremont Police Department,” Petersen said in a Thursday statement from the city.

“I am profoundly grateful for Chief Petersen’s pioneering leadership during one of the most pivotal times in our nation’s history. Her commitment to excellence, accountability and transparency in policing is beyond compare; the Fremont community has benefited enormously from her progressive ideals,” City Manager Mark Danaj said.

Petersen broke barriers in 2018 when she was selected by then-city Manager Fred Diaz to become the first woman and first openly gay person to lead the department. The Police Department currently employs roughly 200 sworn officers and a total staff of more than 300 employees.

Current Capt. Sean Washington, another department veteran, will be appointed as the city’s eighth chief following Petersen’s retirement Oct. 1., the city said. When appointed, Washington will become the first Black person to lead the department in the city’s 65-year history.

“Coming here for the last 25 years never felt like work because it was such a joy to be part of this team and because the work is so meaningful. I will truly miss the people,” Petersen said.

Petersen began her law enforcement career with Fremont in 1996, holding numerous positions through the years. She became the first woman to serve on the department’s SWAT team, holding the title of team leader for seven years, the city said.

In 2017, she helped start the department’s Mobile Evaluation Team, which is currently a partnership with the Fremont Human Services Department and Washington Hospital Health Care System, pairing officers with clinicians and crisis specialists to help people experiencing mental health issues or homelessness, the city said.

Petersen also led the city through the coronavirus pandemic and the uproar touched off by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020.

“Chief Petersen took swift and decisive action, immediately denouncing his death and holding a virtual town hall meeting attended by more than 800 people,” the city said.

The city also started a series of community engagement sessions called “Engage Fremont” to discuss policing and race, though some residents criticized the program as flawed because it was led by police officials, potentially stifling more open dialogue.

Petersen implemented new policies and operational changes over several months, including banning the use of the carotid hold in June 2020 and adding more cultural diversity training to the department’s roster, the city said.

The department faced new challenges in 2020, including multiple protests in the streets and in front of the department over police brutality against Black people and other people of color. Hundreds turned out in a city that typically does not see large protests over social and racial justice issues. There were also protests in front of the mayor’s home.

Dozens of community members also phoned into a virtual City Council meeting in June, asking the council to pull some funding from the Police Department’s $96 million budget — comprising nearly 48% of the city’s general fund — and allocate it toward more mental health support, as well as services for homeless people and affordable housing.

The council ultimately passed the budget with no changes.

The Fremont Unified School District board in November also voted 3-2 to eliminate the long-standing School Resource Officer program, over concerns about lack of clear data and disproportionate arrests of Black and Latino students.

The program, which places a Fremont police officer at each of the six district high schools, was reinstated by a new board a few months later, and recently had about half of its traditional funding from the district chopped. It’s unclear what the program will look like going forward.

“I look forward to watching the department continue to advance its culture of professionalism and adaptability. I will especially miss the community events like Coffee with a Cop and the Community Academy,” Petersen said.

Following her retirement, Petersen plans to focus more on her family, the city said.

According to a recent tweet from police spokeswoman Geneva Bosques, Petersen told city officials when she took the job as chief that she intended to retire after three years.

“I know the residents of Fremont and the department will be in great hands under the leadership of Sean Washington,” Petersen said.

Washington, the next chief, has been with the department for 24 years and has held a variety of roles including detective, field training officer, SWAT team member and supervisor of the School Resource Officer program.

“Sean’s esteemed career with the Fremont Police Department and continual display of ethical and just leadership have long made him an obvious choice as the Department’s next chief,” Danaj said.

Washington was promoted to sergeant in 2007, lieutenant in 2011 and captain in 2015. He has “vast organizational knowledge” and is currently overseeing investigations, internal affairs, and training and personnel, the city said.

“I am honored and thankful for the confidence and trust of the city manager and the City Council,” Washington said.

“I am humbled to have the opportunity to serve this fantastic community in this unique leadership role. I am committed to the continual advancements of the Fremont Police Department. I am also appreciative of Chief Petersen’s ongoing leadership and the dedicated professional service of the men and women of FPD,” he said.