Ken Cost, who has been with the Mesa Police Department for 25 years, served as the interim chief the past four months.
On Monday, he was given the job officially.
This comes after the resignation of former Chief Ramon Batista in November.
Cost said he has led as if he was always in charge. His primary goals are to maintain a low crime rate as well as focus on the growth of the community.
"And we have an opportunity to grow that relationship," Cost said. "Because with that relationship comes trust, and we don’t have public safety without the trust of the community. And it’s important to me not only as a professional but it’s important to me as a person."
Cost said he will not focus on the former chiefs’ decisions but instead move forward in hiring and training his staff.
Mesa Tribune reporter Jim Walsh has covered Valley police agencies for several decades. He joined The Show to talk about Mesa's new chief.
