Santa Cruz Police Gets New Deputy Chief

SANTA CRUZ, CA — The Santa Cruz Police Department has tapped Bernie Escalante to serve as deputy chief.

Escalante, a golfer, is a west side Santa Cruz native and longtime officer with the department. He has been head of the Investigations Division and Emergency Services Unit Tactical Team, and worked as a property crimes detective.

Chief Andy Mills said he is a dedicated, consistent and positive leader.

"His leadership in the Investigations Unit led to solving some of the most serious crimes in
the city and is recognized for his outstanding work ethic," the department wrote in a statement.

Escalante, a father of two, was a Santa Cruz High athlete and went on to earn a bachelors degree in social science from San Francisco State and masters degree in law enforcement and public safety leadership from the University of San Diego. He started with the Santa Cruz Police Department as a community service officer and became a patrol officer in 1996, the department said.

“I am constantly impressed by the dedication and professionalism of our law enforcement team here in Santa Cruz, and I am honored to lead this dynamic department as a deputy chief," Escalante said in the statement.