[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17345-17346]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING GEORGE GASCON ON BEING SELECTED AS SAN FRANCISCO'S NEW 
                            CHIEF OF POLICE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HARRY E. MITCHELL

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 9, 2009

  Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate George 
Gascon, who will soon take over as the Chief of Police in San Francisco 
after three years of extraordinary service as the City of Mesa's Police 
Chief. The city of Mesa has seen tremendous growth and innovation in 
its public safety programs under Chief Gascon, and he has earned him 
the respect and admiration of that community during his tenure.
  Chief Gascon's distinguished service began long before he joined the 
Mesa Police Department. He honorably served for nearly 29 years in the 
Los Angeles Police Department, overseeing police operations and working 
as the Assistant Police Chief for the department.
  After taking over the Department in Mesa, Chief Gascon was 
instrumental in reducing the city's crime rate and fostering a culture 
of respect for diversity within the department. He was also involved in 
the implementation of a

[[Page 17346]]

new police accountability and training program, COMPSTAT, which has 
raised the standard of excellence for the department's management 
accountability system.
  The fortunate citizens of San Francisco will learn that Chief Gascon 
is just as dedicated to the community in his private life as he is 
while wearing a badge. He has volunteered his time and talents to the 
MARC Center of Mesa, the East Valley Crime and Gang Information Fusion 
Center, the M.E.S.A. Program, among many others.
  I would like to wish Chief Gascon all the best as he embarks on a new 
chapter in his life. I am confident that the city of San Francisco will 
come to see the same benefits from his knowledge, leadership and 
dedication to the community that Mesa has experienced.

                          ____________________