New Mesquite Police Chief MaQuade Chesley is sworn into office during a City Council meeting, Mesquite, Nev., Feb. 12, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
ST. GEORGE — Police officers and community members packed Tuesday night’s Mesquite City Council meeting as a new police chief was sworn in.
Mesquite Police Capt. MaQuade Chesley was officially made the city’s newest and youngest police chief during the council meeting, according to a press release from the Police Department. Chesley had acted as the department’s interim chief following the former chief’s retirement last month.
Once Chesley took the oath, he led the rest of the Police Department’s officers and employees in reaffirming their own oaths of office, the press release states.
“It was a humbling experience to see the show of solidarity from the police department as well as the show of support from all of the families and community members in attendance,” Chesley said.
According to Mesquite Local News, Chesley joined the Mesquite Police Department in 2007 after serving a short stint with the St. George Police Department.
Police employees in attendance at the swearing in included police officers, corrections officers, communication dispatchers, animal control officers, administrative and records personnel and volunteers.
“It was an emotional night for me, and I was proud to take upon myself the police chief oath,” Chesley said. “It is a new beginning for our police department, one which I am so proud to share with every police employee. I’m excited to work hand in hand with so many good people in providing such an honorable service to our city.”
Chesley succeeds Chief Troy Tanner who announced his retirement in early January after serving on the Mesquite police force for over 23 years.
“We wish Chief Tanner the best in all his future endeavors,” the Mesquite Department stated in a Jan. 23 Facebook post featuring photos of the former police chief’s retirement party.
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New Mesquite Police Chief MaQuade Chesley is sworn into office during a City Council meeting, Mesquite, Nev., Feb. 12, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
New Mesquite Police Chief MaQuade Chesley leads the officers and employees of the Mesquite Police Department in reaffirming their own oaths of office and dedication to serving and protecting the community during a City Council meeting, Mesquite, Nev., Feb. 12, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
New Mesquite Police Chief MaQuade Chesley leads the officers and employees of the Mesquite Police Department in reaffirming their own oaths of office and dedication to serving and protecting the community during a City Council meeting, Mesquite, Nev., Feb. 12, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
L-R: Former Mesquite Police Chief Troy Tanner stands by then Interim police chief Capt. MaQuade Chesley during Tanner’s retirement party, Mesquite, Nev., Jan. 22, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mori Kessler serves as a Senior Reporter for St. George News, having previously contributed as a writer and Interim Editor in 2011-12, and an assistant editor from 2012 to mid-2014. He began writing news as a freelancer in 2009 for Today in Dixie, and joined the writing staff of St. George News in mid-2010. He enjoys photography and won an award for photojournalism from the Society of Professional Journalists for a 2018 photo of a bee inspector removing ferals bees from a Washington City home. He is also a shameless nerd and has a bad sense of direction.