Fremont to honor former police chief

FREMONT – The driveway leading up to the Fremont Police Department will soon honor former police Chief Craig Steckler.

The Fremont City Council voted to install a special plaque at the entrance to the station in homage to the 78-year-old, who served on the department for nearly three decades.

Steckler retired in 2012 after 45 years in law enforcement, 26 of them in Fremont. The Santa Ana native joined the city’s police department in 1986 and was appointed to the role of chief in 1992.

During his tenure, he created several volunteer programs, redesigned the department’s website and introduced the alert service Nixle to the community.

Steckler is a past president of the California Police Chiefs Association and, following his retirement, he served as the president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police from 2012 to 2013.

He has been a member of Fremont’s Planning Commission since 2016.

The council approved the honorary plaque at a meeting last night.

“Chief Steckler was a very distinguished police chief and has served Fremont with distinction for many, many years,” Councilmember Raj Salwan said during the vote. “I think this would be a fitting way to honor him.”

The plaque will be next to the station’s eastern entrance on Stevenson Boulevard. The driveway also leads to the city’s detention center, animal shelter and the Central Park Dog Park.

“All of those facilities were constructed while Chief Steckler was chief of police and he was instrumental in their success,” said Councilmember Rick Jones, who brought the idea to the council.