[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 980]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN TRIBUTE TO ALBERT NAJERA AND HIS 36 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE 
                      SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 28, 2008

  Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I rise in tribute to Albert Najera, 
Sacramento's outstanding police chief as he retires from the department 
he has spent the last 36 years serving. Chief Najera rose through the 
department's ranks to become the city's police chief in 2003. As his 
friends, family and coworkers all gather to celebrate his farewell, I 
ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring his leadership and many 
remarkable accomplishments.
  Chief Najera is a native son to Sacramento. He was born and raised in 
Sacramento, and attended Luther Burbank High School before moving on to 
California State University, Sacramento, and California State 
Polytechnic University, Pomona. Following his studies, Chief Najera 
joined the Sacramento Police Department on April 1, 1971. Najera 
started his career as a community oriented police officer and 
distinguished himself as a reliable and dedicated officer who would 
work tirelessly to protect the public.
  On October 22, 2003, Chief Najera was appointed as Sacramento's 42nd 
Chief of Police. He inherited a department under tough circumstances 
and worked hard to remedy the difficulties. At the time of his 
installation, violent crime was on the rise, relations with the local 
union were strained and the department was experiencing an alarming 
rate of turnover. Chief Najera's leadership provided much needed 
stability and the city's police department has made tremendous progress 
under his tenure.
  Chief Najera has often been lauded by officers for his hands-on and 
personable style. He has successfully rebuilt relationships between the 
community and the police department, while also raising the morale of 
his officers. Chief Najera has been a champion of attendance centers at 
local high schools to deal with chronic truants who otherwise might be 
caught up in gang-related crime. His leadership on this issue and 
efforts to curb gang activity are evident by the decline in homicides 
during 2007. Chief Najera led a crackdown in the previous summer that 
involved moving officers from other units into gang enforcement. This 
reorganization is evidence of Chief Najera's ability to reinvent the 
department under dire circumstances.
  As chief, larger issues such as emergency preparedness also were on 
his mind. In June of 2007, Chief Najera was appointed to the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency's, FEMA, newly created National Advisory 
Council. The National Advisory Council was initiated to advise FEMA on 
all aspects of preparedness and emergency management in an effort to 
increase coordination with its partners across the country. Chief 
Najera's appointment to this critical position is evidence of his 
understanding of complexities of emergency management and homeland 
security.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize the numerous contributions 
made by Sacramento Police Department Chief of Police Albert Najera 
during his 36 years with the department, and the last 4 as Chief. Chief 
Najera accession to the department's top post is a testament to his 
hard work and devotion to the city of Sacramento. I wish him, his wife, 
Barbara, and his daughter Alesandra continued success in his 
retirement. On behalf of the people of Sacramento and the Fifth 
Congressional District of California, I ask all my colleagues to join 
me in thanking my friend, Chief Najera for his public service as we 
wish him success in his future endeavors.

                          ____________________