Delano Police Main Nevarez reflects on extended career in law enforcement | The Delano Record

30-4 yrs spent in any occupation is a noteworthy accomplishment, and Delano Police Main Robert Nevarez is grateful to have had a privileged occupation. The now 56-12 months-aged chief of law enforcement has spent additional than 50 percent of his daily life as a civil servant, and with criminal offense in the town of Delano becoming at an all time very low, Nevarez now takes time to mirror on his large profession in regulation enforcement.

Born in San Jose and elevated in Modesto, Nevarez attended Downey Significant College. The moment out of higher university he went to Modesto Junior College or university for two many years prior to transferring to Fresno Point out. Nevarez was initially an anthropology significant, switched to organization and then last but not least picked criminology immediately after discovering his enthusiasm for the issue.

As a transfer student at Fresno State, Nevarez only attended the university for two decades. Nonetheless his quick time there laid the foundation for his long run job. In Fresno he not only met his wife, but fashioned a lifelong friendship with Fresno Point out Law enforcement Chief James Watson.

When in his next-to-previous semester at Fresno Point out, Nevarez was employed by the Fresno Law enforcement Division, beginning his vocation as a patrol officer in the southeast area of Fresno. It was the time he spent right here that he witnessed the harshest of crimes, nevertheless he continue to held a positive angle towards these who dedicate them.

“I consider in helping people today rehabilitate.” Nevarez stated. “There may possibly be some crimes that are harder to rehabilitate from, but I’m a major believer in assisting them do so whenever we can as a modern society.”

Following paying out three several years as a patrol officer, he transferred to the narcotics division, wherever he would expend time as an undercover narc busting those people who tried out to market and buy unlawful substances. Nevarez did exceptionally nicely in narcotics, with his most noteworthy case remaining an undercover procedure resulting in the seizure of $500,000.

“Jerry Dyer, my sergeant then, identified that I had a expertise for shopping for prescription drugs (and) received me wired up and despatched me undercover,” Nevarez explained.

Whilst he was largely undercover for the duration of this time, he also served in the SWAT division. This stage of his vocation was specifically harmful, but in spite of this Nevarez has never as soon as fired his weapon.

“I the moment came deal with-to-deal with with a gentleman holding a gun even though running directly at me when remaining chased by other officers, but I never ever felt that his gun was a menace in that minute,” Nevarez mentioned. “Even although it was in his hand and I would have been justified, I didn’t fireplace. The query I believe that in isn’t no matter if I was justified in firing my weapon, it was if I actually wanted to.”

Adhering to his stint in narcotics, he was promoted to sergeant in 1993. Overseeing central Fresno, primarily the Tower Theater, Nevarez invested the following seven yrs overseeing patrol units in his region even though also arranging a plethora of group situations in the district such as early homosexual satisfaction parades.

In 1999 he was promoted when all over again, this time getting to be the lieutenant in charge of his previous area, the southeastern area of Fresno. Nonetheless, he only expended a person yr in this position before being promoted to captain.

As the 21st century arrived, Nevarez observed himself as a captain, the place he oversaw the southwest region of Fresno, an location spanning west of Highway 99. Notably, Nevarez was in charge all through the construction of the outstanding Chukchansi Park, then identified as Grizzlies Stadium.

Next the 3 12 months extend as a captain, Nevarez was promoted to deputy main, the 2nd most effective posture in the office behind Chief Dyer, the person that promoted him.

The place of deputy main would be the longest held by Nevarez, and as a 38-yr-aged he turned the youngest deputy main in Fresno Law enforcement Office historical past.

As a deputy main he 1st began out primary patrol support, placing him in demand of traffic, K-9 units, dispatch information, skywatch, SWAT, bomb squad, crisis negotiation and Homeland Security, all in his initially calendar year. On top of all this Nevarez oversaw the acquire of department’s second helicopter, leaving a lasting effects even with only currently being in charge of the unit a single 12 months.

Having said that, his 2nd 12 months grew to become even extra impactful as he was place in demand of patrol, effectively providing him the responsibility of oversight of every single connect with-getting officer in the office. Then at 39 decades aged, Nevarez was in demand of more than 500 of Fresno’s police officers.

“It was some perform.” Nevarez reported. “Looking back at it now, that was a great deal of operate. I was operating 7 times a 7 days, heading house and looking at information soon after my family members went to rest. It was a whole lot of sacrifice, to say the the very least.”

Nevarez ongoing being in cost of patrol for 15 yrs, serving the community whilst managing some of the most crucial elements of the department.

In 2018 he viewed as retirement, continue to obtaining aspirations of starting to be a main of law enforcement. He was now a 53-yr-outdated who had used the earlier 32 yrs with the Fresno Police Office. Nonetheless, although in demand of administration, he acquired of an interim opening in Delano.

Nevarez had read about Delano right before and even frequently handed through the metropolis when traveling from Fresno to Las Vegas to see his daughter at UNLV. Soon after talking about the chance with Main Dyer and getting assist from those all-around him, Nevarez resolved to implement for the placement.

“The future day I went and talked with the staff there, and it genuinely felt like a natural fit for me.” mentioned Nevarez. “It felt like dwelling for me. I’ve always prided myself on doing the job in communities of color, and with Delano I hardly ever felt I had to discover my way about. It just felt like I was there.”

In his two many years in Delano, Nevarez has assisted make significant development in the city’s criminal offense dilemma. As of now Delano has been headed in a downward craze in conditions of crime, with murders, rape, burglary and assaults all decreasing as each individual year passes by.

Nevertheless, for Nevarez murders are the issues he needs eradicated the most. With just about all murders in Delano being gang related, he has targeted on combating gang violence in the metropolis.

“In 2018 when I arrived, Delano experienced 10 murders. For a metropolis of 50,000 persons, that is just not appropriate,” said Nevarez. “In 2019 we had eight murders and so considerably (in 2020) we have experienced 6. But the figures really don’t tell the complete tale. In one incident 5 individuals were being shot and only a single was killed. The situation could’ve turned out a ton worse, and that’s what we require to get the job done on.”

Even with the ongoing gang violence, Delano has progressed in getting to be a safer town. In 2021 Nevarez hopes to hold up the craze of decreased once-a-year crime premiums.

As he reflects on his vocation, Nevarez does not maintain a lot of regrets. Nonetheless, he now has the ability to see what he considers issues.

“When I converse to younger officers, I talk a large amount about stability, due to the fact I didn’t have it. I gave up a lot in the course of my job, and in retrospect I would not have been such a workaholic and used additional time with my household.”

Now 56 yrs outdated, Nevarez can be explained as an exemplary civil servant. Dedicating much more than 50 percen
t of his life to serving his communities, he understands the genuine definition of staying a fantastic police officer.

“To be a excellent police officer, there’s a selected mentality you have to have. As an individual which is hired hundreds of officers in Fresno and dozens in Delano, I glimpse for a single matter in all of them, and which is regardless of whether or not they adore people.” Nevarez mentioned. “It’s these a challenging job. If you are not careful, you can get started to see the earth as a result of a dim and depressing lens, but if you have a enjoy for individuals, that will support get you by way of. For me, that’s the most critical top quality that a police officer have to have.”