by Steven Felschundneff | steven@claremont-courier.com

City Manager Adam Pirrie announced on Monday that longtime Claremont Police Department employee Captain Aaron Fate will be the next police chief.

Captain Fate will take over the top spot on the police force on November 11 following the retirement of Police Chief Shelly Vander Veen. There will be a public badging ceremony for Captain Fate at the DoubleTree hotel on Monday November 15 at 5:00 p.m.

“In the 23 years that Captain Fate has been with the Claremont Police Department, he has displayed the experience, temperament, and knowledge of the community that will make for a seamless transition of leadership,” City Manager Pirrie said.

Captain Fate was hired by CPD as a police officer in 1999 and then enrolled in the San Bernardino Sheriff’s academy where he graduated at the top of his class. He has worked a variety of assignments including explorer post advisor, field training officer, motor officer, DARE officer, and detective. As a sergeant he served as the support services division manager overseeing the records, communications, and jail bureaus, and as a lieutenant, he served as a watch commander, according to a news release from the city.

He was promoted to Captain in 2016 where he lead the operations division along with holding the responsibilities of budget, program, and policy management. During the last four years Captain Fate has conducted crime prevention outreach with local businesses, led training for the Citizen’s Academy and Community Emergency Response Team and managed community crime prevention programs.

Captain Fate has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, and earned certificates from the POST Institute of Criminal Investigation, the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute and Command College Program where he earned the Dorothy Harris Award of Excellence.

He was selected by his peers as the police officer of the year in 2006 and supervisor of the year in 2013, 2014, and 2016. Captain Fate has been recognized with the Claremont Police Commission’s distinguished service medal, and the police excellence award. In 2006, he was awarded the city manager’s award of excellence, and in 2016, he was recognized as the city’s management employee of the year, according to the news release.

From 2009 to 2016 he served as the police department’s liaison for the Committee for Safe and Healthy Housing Program, to establish better communication between the department and the residents and managers of 32 multifamily apartment complexes within the city. With that efforts as well as his participation in the Claremont Crime Free Multi-Housing Program there was a 50% reduction in crime by 2015.

“Captain Fate represents the very best in law enforcement. Over the years, he has proven to have the perfect balance of professionalism, leadership, and caring needed for Claremont,” Mayor Jennifer Stark said.

A complete story on Captain Fate will be in our next edition.