| Olmos Park Mayor Ron Tefteller (right) swears in
Fred Solis as the city’s new Chief of Police at City Hall
Monday afternoon.
Photo by Marvin Pfeiffer By Tony Cantú
Contributing Writer
After a seven-month vacancy, the position of Olmos Park
police chief finally has been filled. The city’s new top cop
appears ready to hit the ground running with plans to focus
on pro-active crime-fighting measures.
During a Dec. 19 special meeting, Olmos Park City Council
members unanimously selected Sgt. Lionel F. (Fred) Solis
of the Shavano Park Police Department – a veteran lawman
with more than 30 years experience – to fill the city’s top
law enforcement position.
The slot was left vacant in early May following the resignation
of former Police Chief Louis Alcoser.
Solis was sworn into his new position at a ceremony at the
Olmos Park City Hall Monday. In addition to his extensive
law enforcement experience, Solis also served as a colonel
in the U.S. Army.
“I hope to be able to engage in community policing and
further their existing community policing program,” Solis
said of the community he will now serve. “I also hope to
introduce problem-oriented policing. In essence, the
program helps you work in a manner that is pro-active,
rather than reactive.”
Retired in 2001 from the San Antonio Police Department –
where he spent most of his time assigned to special
operations units such as Special Weapons and Tactics
(SWAT) and hostage negotiations teams – Solis, 60,
explained that his varied experience should help
acclimatize him to the dynamics of a city like Olmos Park.
“The fact is that this very nice city is surrounded by the
metropolis of San Antonio, and what you see is a lot of
through traffic and that just brings more volume,” he said.
Despite becoming chief by virtue of his predecessor’s
resignation, Solis noted the stability among the police
rank and file makes for a well-run department
that he will head.
“I believe I’m very fortunate and one positive indicator is
that you have a zero turnover rate,” Solis added.
“That’s a very positive indicator.”
Solis has more than 30 years of law enforcement
background including serving as a police officer for
the City of San Antonio for 23 years, three years as a
law enforcement adjunct instructor, and seven years
as a Bexar County Sheriff’s Department Reserve
Deputy/Instructor. He also spent five years as a
firefighter and arson investigator during his tenure
in San Antonio.
Solis also distinguished himself in the military after enlisting
in the U.S. Army in 1967, capping a 40-year career in active
and reserve military service. A member of the U.S. Army
Special Operations Command, he is a veteran of three
tours of duty in the Middle East, as well as other missions.
In a prior interview, City Manager Amy Buckert said she had
received dozens of resumes from applicants vying to be
the chief of police for Olmos Park. She said more than 50
resumes from hopefuls had been received, both from among
the Olmos Park police force rank and file and from
external candidates.
Congratulations to Chief Fred Solis CoffeeCops.
|
Let me be the first to congraulate Fred. As the write up here has, Fred comes to the job with everything a man would possibly need to do it right. I want to wish him all the sucess possible and I want to stop by sometime and visit. I never worked with Fred, but all I ever heard was praises of him and his work.
ReplyDeleteRobert E Anderson (Ret)
Robert,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. I remain at your service as well as that of my fellow retired and active officers. I look forward to visiting with you and everyone else that may wish to visit. My new number is 210-824-3281.
Best regards to all,
Fred
Olmos Park Police Dept has a problem .They have had 4 Police Chief in 10 years. There is the officer that shot his friend in a sex swap deal.
ReplyDelete