In addition, between 2002 and 2011, traffic
collisions resulting in an injury decreased by 43
percent, while the number of people killed in traffic
collisions fell by 42 percent. In 2002, 52 people
lost their lives in traffic collisions as compared to
30 fatalities in 2011. During this nine year period,
174 fewer families had to bury a loved one due to a
traffic collision in Fresno, Dyer said.
tackling such thorny issues as a federal civil rights
lawsuit over his department’s alleged use of deadly
force, as well as recent accusations of sexism and
racism within the Fresno P.D.
“I’ve always believed that if you’re not out in front
of the story, then you become the story,” said Dyer,
53, who takes that same proactive and clear-headed
approach to dealing with budget and staffing
challenges within his department.
Dyer, a former president of the California Police
Chiefs Association, is described as a leader who
seeks solutions instead of dodging problems — a
style that has won him the admiration of other city
officials. “We are extremely lucky to have him,”
Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin said. “He’s an
incredible gifted leader who not only is widely
recognized for his leadership in public safety, but
for his leadership in general.” Dyer almost retired
last year.
Like other police chiefs, he had become concerned
with economic conditions that have reduced staffing
and caused the department to stretch to meet the
needs of the community with fewer resources.
A Fresno P.D. that four years ago had 849 sworn
officers is now down to 744, with overall police
department staffing shrinking during that same
period to 940, down from 1,322. The Fresno P.D.,
Dyer said, continues to lose police officers through
attrition and currently there are no immediate
plans to replace them.Compounding the staffing
issue is parole reform and the early release of
prisoners, which has forced the Fresno P.D. and all
law enforcement agencies statewide to focus their
resources on highest-priority duties. Dyer estimates
that in Fresno alone, an additional 50 to 60 people
are being released to the streets daily because of jail
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overcrowding and the shifting of state inmates to
local jurisdictions.
With resources now focused on high-priority
crimes, Dyer has asked Fresno residents — the city
has a population of about 510,000 — to be patient
with delays in response times to lower-priority calls,
and also to self-report some crimes via the police
department’s website.
In July 2011, Dyer announced his retirement.
“The closer I got to leaving,” Dyer said, “the more
of an appreciation I felt for the department, the
community and the position. The longer you’re in
a leadership role, the more of a toll it can take on
you. You can start to lose your enjoyment for the
job, and that started to happen to me.”
But by November 2011, Dyer had changed his
mind — partly the result of an outpouring of support
from officers, residents and city leaders, including
City Manager Mark Scott, who publicly declared
that he could find no better chief to protect Fresno
r esidents than Dyer. Dyer said another factor that
played into his decision to remain on indefinitely
as Fresno police chief was his belief that in these
challenging times, stability and strong leadership
is needed at the position of the city’s top cop
— and crime statistics underscore Dyer’s strong
performance as police chief.
Between 2001 and 2011, overall crime rates in
Fresno have fallen by 20 percent. That equates to
6,800 fewer crimes per year.
Crimes against persons such as murder, rape,
robbery and aggravated assault have fallen by 28
percent during the same period, and property-type
crimes, such as burglary, larceny, auto theft, and
arson, have decreased by nearly 18 percent.
Such achievements in the traffic division has led to
the Fresno P.D. receiving three first-place finishes in
the National Law Enforcement Challenge sponsored
by the International Association of Chiefs of Police,
as well as being honored for having the top DUI
program in the country. Dyer said his department
has been able to more than triple the size of its
traffic unit without cost to taxpayers by holding
traffic offenders accountable for the cost of their
own enforcement through vehicle impound fees
and citation revenue.
During his first six to seven years as police chief,
Dyer restructured the Fresno P.D. as it grew. But
over the last four years, he’s been restructuring
it based on a decline in personnel and other
resources.
This has forced Dyer to get creative. For example,
as a result of a spike in shooting and decreased
staffing, the chief has taken detectives and other
officers not normally assigned to patrol and has
assigned them to work in patrol on weekend and
night shifts periodically. Such an interim move
could become part of the department’s long-term
restructuring as it continues, Dyer said.The Fresno
P.D. also has been recognized nationally for its
volunteers programs, which include citizens on
patrol, chaplains and reserve officers.
“We maximize the usage of all of our volunteers,”
Dyer said.
Swearengin said there’s no better chief than Dyer
to steer the department through challenging times.
“He’s very quantitative and systems minded, which
is unusual for someone who runs a public-safety
agency,” the mayor said. “He knows a lot of data
and has an intimate knowledge of the department’s
budget and statistics. He’s also good at engaging
with people and the community.
“He’s a person of integrity, both on the job and
in his personal life,” added Swearengin, who has
known Dyer for about eight years. “He’s a great
combination of someone who has intelligence and
a great skill set, but who also has the heart to be
compassionate about the city he serves.”
Policing runs in Dyer’s family. His father and a
sister are among five relatives currently or formerly
working at the Fresno P.D.
Married for 32 years to his wife, Diane, Dyer has
two children who — perhaps surprisingly — have
not followed their father into law enforcement. His
son, 27, is a fencing contractor and his daughter,
24, is a special education teacher.
When Dyer isn’t policing, he’s likely pumping
iron. The 5-foot-11, 220-pound police chief is an
avid weightlifter. “I try to set an example for all of
our police officers on the importance of staying in
shape,” Dyer said.
Dyer also enjoys watching sprint-car races and
taking the occasional cruise with his wife. He also is
very active as a deacon in his church and for many
years taught Sunday school.
Being police chief, for now and in the immediate
future, remains his biggest passion. And Fresno,
with an unemployment rate of around 15 percent
and about 20,000 documented gang members,
appears to be just as passionate about keeping Dyer
around.
“In spite of these challenging times, we can still
prevail in law enforcement,” Dyer said. “We have
to be more creative and utilize our state and federal
partners more often, and we have to find new ways
of getting the job done.” •
Fall 2012
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