The Bishop City Council officially hired a new police chief on Monday night. As Chief Joe Pecsi retires, Kathleen Sheehan will take over the position of Bishop Police Chief.

City Administrator Rick Pucci explained that the city hired a company to recruit nationwide to find a new chief. Out of 50 applicants, the search firm narrowed the list down to 6. The City Council interviewed those six applicants over 2 days and offered the job to Sheehan.

Since retiring as a lieutenant with the Los Angeles Police Department, Sheehan has worked for a private firm and the Department of Justice to train other law enforcement officers.

Sheehan thanked the council for appointing her to the Chiefs position. As for taking over the job, Sheehan said that police have to do something easy and difficult at the same time, protect the public from crime and fear of crime, and make the quality of life better in a community. The way you do that, she said, is through an improved police and community relationship.

Sheehan briefly described her career, working in behavioral science, gangs, international task forces that looked into the killing of police officers and the importation of drugs into this country. Sheehan said that its been a hardworking career, but its been more fun then anything else.

Chief Pecsi welcomed the new chief, the first female head of law enforcement in the Eastern Sierra, with a bouquet of flowers.

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