Oakland deputy police chief named new Piedmont top cop

PIEDMONT Touting him as the best person to lead the department into its next chapter the City Council voted unanimously Monday night to appoint Oakland Deputy police Chief Frederick Shavies II as Piedmont s new top cop He succeeds retiring Chief Jeremy Bowers whose nine years in the position will end July The -year-old Shavies will assume his new role on July Related Articles Arrest made in San Leandro s first homicide of Rodeo man charged with kidnapping in East Bay home invasions California agrees to pay million to former Fremont participant Murder or suicide Dueling views hinge on call gunshot residue in shooting at Fremont hotel East Bay teen circulated from jail after judge rejects girlfriend murder theory Piedmont police Capt Chris Monahan will serve as interim chief during the days between the two leaders tenure In a release announcing the appointment the city revealed Shavies is a highly regarded population safety professional whose skills in strategic policing and crime prevention have been honed through years of leading complex investigations managing high-profile masses safety events and implementing innovative society engagement strategies Piedmont Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen announced the city is extremely fortunate to welcome Shavies as our next chief of police He brings exceptional law enforcement experience a strong commitment to equity and accountability and a proven ability to lead with integrity His familiarity with our public and ability to build trust make him the right person to lead the department into its next chapter In the release Shavies described his approach to policing as rooted in collaboration bringing law enforcement residents and population partners together to build stronger safer neighborhoods He disclosed he was honored to have been chosen as the next Piedmont chief I am excited to bring my experience in public safety law enforcement leadership and officer advance to Piedmont a police department and a city that I have long admired I look forward to building on Piedmont s a multitude of strengths and guiding the department in its next chapter Shavies grew up in Oakland and graduated from Fremont High School where he was an All-City football competitor He graduated from Washington State University where he played in the Rose Bowl Shavies joined the Oakland Police Department in August and became highly respected as he worked his way up through the ranks including commanding the homicide unit as a lieutenant and heading the department s heralded Ceasefire Division as a captain He has been a deputy chief since April of and is at present the commander of the Bureau of Inquiry He is a September graduate of the FBI National Academy Bowers became a Piedmont police captain in after years with the San Jose Police Department where he rose from patrolman to sergeant lieutenant watch commander and adjutant to Chief Rob Davis In he was appointed Piedmont Police Chief following the retirement of former Chief Rikki Goede When he released his retirement in March Bowers in an open letter to the area offered his gratitude to residents for their unwavering patronage and the collaborative spirit that has helped us all strive for better during his time in Piedmont which also included establishing a constituents safety camera system and expanding the use of license plate readers