Full Notification

Dear Fremont Community,

The Fremont Police Department (FPD) has an unwavering commitment to building trust with our community while promoting fairness and accountability. As part of this ongoing effort, we proudly announce that FPD has earned public recognition as a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Trust Building Campaign for completing 25 key policies and best practices necessary to enhance trust and collaboration between police and the communities we serve. As the world’s largest and most influential professional association for police leaders, IACP challenges members through this initiative to implement changes over 36 months to drive meaningful action.

Through completing this pledge, FPD established essential policies and trainings, conducted assessments, and developed strategies across six focus areas: bias-free policing, use of force, leadership and culture, recruitment, hiring and retention, victim services, and community relations. To view the complete list of FPD initiatives, and how we plan to fulfill our commitment, please read FPD’s full IACP Trust Building Campaign Report.

As a leader in law enforcement, we are unafraid of adopting new strategies and administrative processes supportive of public safety objectives. As Police Chief, I am proud to be able to articulate FPD’s past and current policies, practices, community engagement efforts, service objectives, and mission align with well-established best practices. From my perspective, this achievement serves as a proactive self-assessment tool measuring our organizational competence and effectiveness. Although this accomplishment comes with national recognition, the actual benefit of this achievement is enhanced service to our community and additional support for the members of the FPD. By embedding these trust-building initiatives into our daily operations, FPD upholds principles of fairness and justice, cultivating an environment where community members feel safe, valued, and heard.  

In addition to our trust-building efforts, we also focused on our recruitment and retention. To address the nationwide officer shortage, the City of Fremont has established a new $100,000 signing bonus* for up to 10 newly hired Lateral Police Officers. Other noteworthy hiring and retention incentives recently approved for our Officers include an expedited hiring and training program for Lateral Officers and new longevity pay for Officers who have served for eight years, and a 2% increase for existing Officers and Sergeants that is in addition to regular merit and/or Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increases. These efforts are intended to provide the highest level of service, mitigate crime, and ensure our City remains safe, utilizing strategies outlined in the recently established FPD Strategic Plan for 2024-2027, which builds on our Chief Transition Plan from 2021 by incorporating community feedback.

I am hopeful that these incentives will improve staffing in the coming months, and we will continue to do all we can to recruit and retain highly competent staff to serve our community. If you know someone who might be interested in law enforcement, believes their service would meet or exceed expectations, and is motivated to join one of the finest, most diverse police agencies in the state, please encourage them to apply today!

I look forward to continuing to build on our Department's legacy of leadership in policing and ensuring the trust and safety of our community remain at the forefront of everything we do.

Respectfully,
Sean Washington,
Chief of Police


*This new bonus is structured with $10,000 provided upon acceptance of a final offer of employment with the City of Fremont; an additional $10,000 paid upon completion of the Field Training Officer (FTO) Program; an additional $15,000 paid upon successful completion of probation; an additional $15,000 paid upon one (1) full year following completion of probation; $15,000 provided upon two (2) years following completion of probation; $15,000 paid upon three (3) years following completion of probation; and the remaining $20,000 paid for completing the final six (6) months (months 55-60) for a total of five (5) years of service.