The City of El Centro has three new department heads.

Robert Sawyer has been named the new Chief of the El Centro Police Department, Jospeh Bernal is the new Fire Chief and Angel Hernandez is the newly named Director of Community Development. The El Centro City Council approved the contracts for all three at their November 1, 2022, meeting. 

Robert Sawyer is an El Centro native. He started his career with the El Centro Police Department in 1998. He rose to the rank of Commander in the department before accepting the position as Chief of Police in Brawley. Sawyer returned to El Centro as Deputy Chief of Police in 2020. 

Joseph Bernal began his career with the El Centro Fire Department in 2001. Bernal has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire and Emergency Management in 2014, He rose through the ranks and became a Battalion Chief in 2020. 

Angel Hernandez is a graduate of Southwest High School with advanced degrees from San Diego State and Northern Arizona University. In 2014 he started as an Assistant Planner with the City of El Centro and has served as the interim Director of the Community Development Department since January of this year.