Former Pleasanton Police Officer Appointed Pacifica Police Chief

PLEASANTON, CA — Maria Sarasua, who served nearly 20 years in the Pleasanton Police Department, will be the first female Chief of Police for the city of Pacifica. Sarasua was chosen from a wide pool of candidates, and will start her new post on April 24, the city said in a news release.

Sarasua, a native of Alamo, started her career as a police explorer and community service officer before becoming a deputy sheriff in Contra Costa County in 1995. In 2003, she became a police officer with the Pleasanton Police Department. During her more than 20 years in Pleasanton, she rose to the rank of lieutenant, and handled increasingly complex assignments. She is also married to Pleasanton police Sgt. Benjamin Sarasua, and they have two children. Her son is a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and her daughter is in college, according to the Pacifica news release.

"Pleasanton will always be a very special place to me. I raised my family here and built strong relationships within the police department and the community,” Sarasua told Pleasanton Weekly. "The unwavering support the police department receives from our community and civic leaders has made the past 20 years of service an incredible honor. I have a deep and abiding respect for the men and women of the Pleasanton Police Department, and it was my privilege to serve with them."

“Chief Sarasua is a proven leader and brings a breadth and depth of experience and values to Pacifica that will be an exceptional fit for the organization and the community. I am confident that with her extensive knowledge and collaborative leadership style, she will continue to enhance the high level of public safety services, transparency, and trust the Pacifica community expects and deserves,” Pacifica City Manager Kevin Woodhouse said in a statement.

Sarasua holds a BA in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco, and an MA in leadership from St. Mary’s College. She also earned an Executive Education Certificate in Public Leadership from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and has taught courses at the University of San Diego’s Master of Science Program in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership.

In 2010, she founded the Jefferson Award-winning nonprofit Bridgewatch Angels, which enlists thousands of volunteers to engage in suicide prevention on the Golden Gate Bridge during major holidays, and raises awareness about mental health and trauma-informed care.