Fresno Chief of Police Paco Balderrama Resigns Amid Allegations of Affair with Officer’s Wife
The chief of police for the city of Fresno, Paco Balderrama, officially resigned from his position on Tuesday following an investigation into allegations that he had an affair with an officer’s wife.
Balderrama, who served as the city’s top cop for three and a half years, informed city leadership in February that an allegation would likely be made against him related to an “inappropriate off-duty relationship he was involved in,” the city said in a statement.
He was placed on administrative leave on June 13, after the city launched an investigation into the alleged affair. The city said he was placed on leave due to “intense public scrutiny surrounding the administrative investigation.”
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer expressed his hope that with Balderrama’s resignation, the police department can move forward and continue to focus on keeping people safe. City Manager Georgeanne White clarified that allegations of Balderrama leveraging his position to undermine the officer’s career moves were not true, as evidence to the contrary was presented.
In a statement issued by the city, Balderrama called serving as Fresno’s top cop the “privilege of a lifetime” and expressed his gratitude to the community and the police department. He mentioned that it was the right time for him to step away and focus on his faith and family.
Balderrama, who made history as the first Latino appointed to the role of chief of police for the city of Fresno, will have his resignation effective on July 25. The city will now begin a national search for his replacement.
It was reported that Balderrama had applied for the chief of police opening in Austin, Texas, prior to the news of his alleged affair being made public. Balderrama’s resignation marks the end of his nearly four-year tenure as the chief of police in Fresno.
