Mesa police union says chief’s departure ‘unfortunate’

MESA – The Mesa police union says the departure of the city’s police chief is “extremely unfortunate.”

Various media sources report that Mesa police Chief George Gascon will be leaving the city to become chief of police in San Francisco.

Mesa Police Association President Sgt. Fabian Cota said “whatever the circumstances are to the reasons why he chose to apply in another city, it is a big loss for the citizens of Mesa.”

Cota said the rank-and-file and Gascon worked hard to reduce crime in Mesa.

Mesa Fraternal Order of Police president Bryan Soller tells The Arizona Republic that Gascon had informed him that he had accepted the San Francisco job.

Gascon has been Mesa’s police chief since 2006 and served as an assistant police chief in Los Angeles before joining Mesa police.