By Mary O’KEEFE

On July 23 Robert William became the 21st Glendale chief of police in a swearing-in ceremony at the GPD main station. The event was attended by numerous officials and law enforcement leaders from around Southern California. 

William was announced as the new chief on June 23; this follows his term as interim police chief since December 2025 when then-Chief Manny Cid announced his departure. Cid had accepted a position as police chief for the Anaheim Police Dept. 

The swearing in ceremony highlighted that William is a “lifelong Glendalian.” William grew up on East Garfield Avenue in South Glendale. 

“While [police] officers were keeping the city safe I was riding my bike to the top of Adams Hill, and riding as fast as I could down the hill without stopping at any stop signs just to see how fast I could go,” he said. 

He spoke of his days of sneaking onto the blacktop area of John Muir Elementary School with his friends to play roller hockey and, when he was older, would spend summers playing football with friends at Glendale High School, and then sneaking into the school’s pool to cool down. 

“Back then I never imagined that one day I would stand here as chief of police for the City of Glendale,” he said. 

He thanked all of the guests who attended his swearing in extending a special “thank you” to his wife, sons, parents and the rest of his family. 

“[Glendale] is a city that shaped m life, a city that gave me lifelong friendships, it gave me mentors who challenged me and it gave me opportunities. Eventually it gave me a calling to protect the very neighborhood [I grew up in],” William said. 

During the ceremony City Mayor Ardy Kassakhian praised William and the city he protects. He said that a city is measured in a “thousand ways.”

“I’ve come to believe there is only one measurement that truly matters – who do people hope will show up when they need help. The answer to that question says more about a city than any statistic or number ever could because when life takes an unexpected turn, when a child goes missing, when a family suffers a tragedy, when a neighbor is in crisis and confusion replaces certainty we don’t think about budgets or buildings – we thing about people. The people who will answer the call,” he said. “We live in a time when people are asking difficult questions about institutions, about leadership and about the responsibilities that come with authority. The headlines change almost daily, the debates are often loud yet beneath all that noise, most people are asking a much simpler question: Can we trust the people who serve? Trust is not built through press releases or policies alone. It’s built one interaction at a time,” Kassakhian said. 

Before City Manager Roubik Golanian swore in William he said that days like this were one of his most favorite – and most memorable. 

“Today signifies a landmark occasion for Glendale. As city manager, one of the most important responsibilities I have is selecting the individual who leads our law enforcement agency and safeguards our community. When evaluating what makes a truly exceptional police chief, I look for unwavering integrity, executive strength, a commitment to innovation and a profound, lived understanding of the community being served. This morning [July 23] I’m thrilled to say that we found all those qualities in one of our own. Robert William’s journey with the Glendale Police Dept. is the quintessential public service story,” Golanian said. 

With his family nearby, William was sworn-in. His said his son Christian had been asking him for the last two weeks who would “pin” him. Christian ended up pinning him while his other son Daniel and his wife stood by his side. 

“I don’t view this appointment as the finish line of my career,” William said. “I view this as the beginning of an even greater responsibility.”