Oceanside names 22-year department veteran as new police chief

The Oceanside City Manager announced Friday that Kedrick Sadler, a 22-year-old employee of the Oceanside Police Department, has been named Chief of Police effective Saturday.

“Chief Sadler is committed to advancing a department that values ​​professionalism, transparency, community service and innovation,” City Manager Jonathan Borrego said in the city’s written announcement.

“I also want to personally thank the 10-member community stakeholder committee that participated in the interview process,” Borrego said. “Their feedback and perspective has been invaluable to our efforts.”

Sadler served as a Patrol Officer, Dog Handler, Property Crime Detective, Homicide Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Support Operations Division Lieutenant, and Investigations Division Captain with the Oceanside Department. Along the way, he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and is working on a master’s degree in organizational leadership.

Councilman Rick Robinson, the city’s former fire chief, said Friday he was pleased with the selection of Sadler, who was one of three captains considered within the department.

“The city manager had a winning choice no matter which captain he picked,” Robinson said. “They all put everything they had into their interviews.”

Sadler is highly respected in the community and has worked hard to get where he is in the department, Robinson said.

“It will just be a smooth transition,” he said. “It will allow us to do the things we want to do.”

Sadler will be able to fill a new deputy chief position created in December, when city council approved the first expansion of the police department’s leadership team since 1992.

Sadler has been directly involved with several local organizations, including Oceanside Youth Partnership, Save Our Streets, North County LGBTQ Resource Center, Oceanside Promise, Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, and Visit Oceanside, and he has served on the North San Diego Executive Committee. County NAACP.

He and his wife, Malinda Sadler, have five children, Justin, Jordan, Sierra, Jarred and Laila.

Armijo announced in February that he would retire on April 1 after two years as head of the department.

A member of the Oceanside Police Department since 1993, Armijo was nominated by former City Manager Deanna Lorson in March 2021 to succeed Chief Frank McCoy.

With more than 15 years in the role, McCoy retired as the longest-serving police chief in Oceanside’s 132-year history.