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- “We appreciate all those who have risen to the call of service as Arcadia Police Chief,” Mayor Roger Chandler said in a statement. “Captain Nakamura continues in the long line of excellence in law enforcement leadership that this community has come to expect and enjoy from its Police Department.”
- He described Nakamura as an exceptionally qualified officer for the position.
- “Over the years I have known him, I have seen that Roy is conscientious, progressive, and dedicated to keeping Arcadia safe,” Lazzaretto said.
- Nakamura, who is currently the Operations Captain of the police department, will be the 30th Police Chief and the first Asian American to hold the title since Arcadia became a city in 1903.
- The Santa Anita Assembly Center was occupied by about 19,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans for 215 days from March 27 to Oct. 27, 1942, according to Densho Encyclopedia.
- In 1988, then-President Ronald Reagan passed the Civil Liberties bill that offered a formal apology to those who were forced into the incarceration sites and acknowledged the injustice at the time.
- “It’s progress,” Nakamura said via the Los Angeles Times. “Obviously, I wasn’t here during those times, and not everything in history has been positive, but we’re also here to learn from our mistakes, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe in the city of Arcadia.”
- He started his career at the Arcadia Police Department in 1992 and later worked as a Field Training Officer.
- Nakamura was then promoted to detective and assigned to the Forgery and Fraud Unit.
- The captain was promoted again in 2002 to Sergeant and worked as a Field Supervisor until 2009 when he climbed up the ranks as Lieutenant.
- Nakamura received his Captain rank in October 2019 and began to command the Operations Division, according to the Arcadia Police Department’s website.
- “I am honored to be named the next Police Chief for the City of Arcadia,” Nakamura said. “The Arcadia Police Department is one of the finest law enforcement organizations in the country. I appreciate the support and confidence of the City Manager, City Council, the men and women of the Arcadia Police Department, and the entire Arcadia community.”
- He will be serving a city that has a 61% Asian population.