A new police chief was sworn in on Tuesday in Santa Rosa.

Alvaro Garcia was promoted to the position after serving as police captain for the last four months, Santa Rosa Mayor Jaime Quiroga said.

In a statement to Channel 5 News, Quiroga referred to Garcia as a “highly qualified and experienced” police chief.

“Chief Garcia has been with the Santa Rosa Police Department for a short period, but he has proven his ability to help lead, serve, and protect our community,” Quiroga stated. “In turn, this allows our former head of police, Ronnie Hernendez, who is also our city manager, to focus on upcoming projects and the needs for the well-being of our citizens.”

Garcia’s promotion comes over a year after his acquittal on charges of tampering with government records.

Alvaro Garcia was arrested in November 2018 and was found guilty in February 2023 of falsifying documents regarding a training course he was the instructor of.

On Dec. 5, 2024, the 13th Court of Appeals ruled that Garcia’s conviction be overturned due to insufficient evidence.