Murray tags longtime assistant chief as new police boss

Murray's longtime No. 2 cop has been elevated to serve as the city's new police chief.

Murray Mayor Ted Eyre announced Wednesday that Assistant Chief Craig Burnett will replace former Chief Peter Fondaco, fired by the new mayor in February.

At the time Eyre terminated the 61-year-old Fondaco, who had been in the post for nearly 12 years, Eyre stressed that the action was not due to any reasons than that he deemed it was time to make a change that would "put a new face on the department" and give junior officers the chance to advance.

Burnett had been acting chief since Fondaco's departure. His appointment came the morning after the Murray City Council approved a resolution supporting Burnett's selection to head up the 85-strong department.

"Craig has demonstrated great leadership in our police department and we look forward to having him at the helm of this organization. His fellow officers respect him and support him in this position," Eyre stated.

Burnett had been assistant chief since 2003, and he has been in law enforcement since 1983, having worked Murray's patrol and detective divisions and rising through the ranks with stints in helping organize the city's Community Oriented Policing and Neighborhood Watch programs, managing MPD's Internal Affairs unit, as well as the department's school resource, traffic and narcotics officers.

As an assistant chief, Burnett also worked closely with the Metro Gang Unit, Valley Emergency Communications Center and the Traffic Safety Committee.

Burnett selected Joe Tarver for the position of deputy chief.

Both men will be formally sworn in to their new positions during a ceremony scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday at the Murray Police Training Center, 136 West Vine Street.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims