SARASOTA -- City Manager Marlon Brown has appointed Rex Troche to serve as Sarasota's next police chief.
Troche has been the interim chief since August of last year, when former chief James Reiser stepped down due to health issues. He becomes Sarasota's 13th police chief and its first Hispanic chief of police.
The city will swear in Troche Friday morning at 10 a.m. at Sarasota police headquarters.
The city manager has been surveying community groups and police unions about what qualities they wanted to see in the chief. Leadership and management skills got the most answers, along with community involvement, a focus on diversity, communications and technical policing skills.
Brown says Troche has been "interviewing for the job every day for the past eight months." He rose through the ranks since joining Sarasota police in 2002. He has served in all four police divisions -- Patrol, Professional Standards, Criminal Investigations, and Support Services.
Troche commented: "I am honored and humbled to lead the dedicated men and women of the Sarasota Police Department. I will continue to promote our community policing initiatives, focus on reducing gun violence and increase the visibility of our officers in the city. I'm excited to move our agency forward by hiring the best and brightest officers who will reflect our community. I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to build trust, transparency, and lasting relationships with the citizens of the City of Sarasota."
Photo: SPD