Wasco Chief of Police honored by county peers

Wasco Police Department Chief of Police Charles Fivecoat received the Administrator of the Year award from the Kern County Law Enforcement Foundation for his 50 years of contributions to the law enforcement community and for serving as the key facilitator in the startup of the Wasco Police Department.

"What made me proud was that my peers – the fellow chiefs in Kern County – were the ones who voted for me. It was humbling to know that your peers support you that way," he said in an interview.

The 36th Annual Kern County Law Enforcement Foundation Officer of the Year Awards, held on Oct. 10 at the Mechanics Bank Arena, were hosted by comedian Jay Leno, who performed stand-up comedy while thanking the officers for their service to the community. "It was wonderful. He was funny – a great comedian and a nice, personable guy. It made for a special evening." Other awards were also given out, including Officer of the Year for a courageous officer and Citizen of the Year for individuals who have done extraordinary work.

Taft's chief of police and president of the Chief's Association, Damon McMinn, presented Chief Fivecoat with his award and shared his remarkable background and accomplishments with the audience. In addition to his service with Kern County, Fivecoat served as chief of the Shafter police. He also was a full-time American government and international relations professor at Bakersfield College. A paratrooper in the Army during the Vietnam War, he worked in undercover narcotics and spent 15 years as a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics team, serving as the original scout sniper, team leader and bomb squad leader.

Reflecting on his career, Fivecoat shared some of his proudest moments. "It's been varied. Over the course of 50 years in law enforcement, I've been blessed to work on many projects around the county, but the Wasco Police Department startup was the capstone of my career."

He is most looking forward to continued staff development for the Wasco force and getting the Police Activities League program up and running, along with instituting the Citizens Services Unit, which provides patrols in the community.

His vision for the future of the Wasco department is clear: "We want to continue the philosophy that we established when we launched – we are here for the people, and we want to partner with them. We want them to know we are always here for them."

Fivecoat believes it is unfathomable that we all must recognize when it's time to allow someone to move forward. "But I have an absolutely excellent successor for my position: Lieutenant Alecio Mora."

When asked about the impact he hopes to leave on the Wasco community, he said, "I want to restore the public's faith and trust in the dedicated professionals we have working in law enforcement. Over the past decade, corporate media, social media and shifting social norms have affected the public's perception. For the citizens of Wasco, my goal is to reassure them that when they call for help, we'll be there."