Firebaugh Police Chief Sal Raygoza has announced his retirement.
The 31-year law enforcement veteran notified the city earlier this month that Tuesday will be his official retirement date.
“I am looking forward to some time off. It’s a 24-hour job,” Raygoza said. “Thirty years. It’s time. I need to focus on family and health.”
Raygoza, 54, began his career in 1994 as a Firebaugh police dispatcher while attending the reserve officer modules at Fresno City College. Through the years, he served the department in multiple roles including reserve officer, police officer and sergeant.
Raygoza became police chief in 2015.
“Serving the city of Firebaugh has been the greatest honor of my life,” he said. “From my first day as a dispatcher to my final years as chief, my goal has always been the same: Protect our community, build trust, and leave the department stronger than I found it. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
As a patrol officer, Raygoza focused on keeping Firebaugh safe from crime, building strong community relationships, and making it a priority to step out of his patrol car to listen and talk with residents. He never forgot those experiences as he moved up in the ranks.
Raygoza has been deeply involved in trying to help mold the youth of Firebaugh by participating in the department’s activities league during his free time.
“I truly believe the Firebaugh Police Activities League has played a significant role in keeping our kids safe and connected to the community. It’s a great feeling when young people know our officers by their first names and see them as mentors and role models,” Raygoza said.
Despite his 31 years in the profession, Raygoza’ retirement came as a surprise to some.
“It was a little bit of a shocker. It’s been a lot of years in police service,” Firebaugh City Manager Ben Gallegos said. “We thank him for his time and dedication to the community.”
Gallegos said the city council will start the process of finding its next police chief soon. It is expected to take months, but an exact timeline has not been finalized.
Sgt. Magda Martinez will be the interim police chief beginning next week, according to Gallegos.
Raygoza has thanked his Department personnel and the Firebaugh City Council for supporting him during his decade as police chief.
Raygoza is not ruling out doing part-time police consulting work in the future. However, the soon-to-be former chief is primarily planning to concentrate on family and fun.
“I will be focusing on spending time with kids, grandchildren and working on some of my projects, cars I acquired over the years,” he said.
