The Visalia City Council approved the appointment of Colleen Mestas as Police Chief. The vote was unanimous.

Mestas was serving as Interim Police Chief since August, replacing former Police Chief Bob Carden, who retired in August.

According to a city release, previously, Chief Mestas had been with the Fresno County Sheriff Department since 1988, and was promoted to Captain in 2004.

While assigned to the Fresno County Sheriff Office, she had oversight for the entire Patrol Operations Bureau, including SWAT, K9, Patrol Detectives, Ag-Task Force and Mounted Patrol. She has worked as Patrol Deputy, a Narcotics Detective, Field Training Officer, Patrol Sergeant, Lieutenant Watch Commander and Area Commander for Fresno metropolitan region.