He would be Fresno’s first Latino sheriff if elected. Here are his top priorities
Fresno police Deputy Chief Mark Salazar on Friday announced he’s running for Fresno County sheriff, with plans to focus his campaign in the county’s rural communities and on his track record of fighting crime.
Salazar made the announcement during a news conference with his wife, Virginia, and his children by his side, along with professional and political supporters in front of the Fresno County Elections Office in downtown.
“I think the time is now to change how we fight crime in this county,” Salazar said.
Salazar’s announcement comes one week after Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims announced she wouldn’t seek re-election. During her announcement, Mims endorsed Assistant Sheriff John Zanoni to become Fresno County’s next sheriff. Salazar, who also applied to be Fresno’s next police chief in 2020, the position that ultimately went to Paco Balderrama. Salazar said he intended to run for sheriff in 2026 but decided to run earlier after Mims’ announcement.
The primary election is June 7.
If elected, Salazar said he would focus on modernizing the sheriff’s office through technology and leverage partnerships at the local, state, and federal levels. One of his priorities will be equipping deputies with body cameras, which has become standard in law enforcement.
Salazar also said he would focus on engaging the community, particularly young people, to reduce crime through prevention, intervention, and enforcement.
“I’m going to be very involved in the rural communities. They don’t know me yet. They will get to know me in the coming weeks and months,” he said. “I’ll spend a lot of time there. So I’m looking forward to those conversations and also listening to their issues as well.”
Salazar, a 50-year-old Democrat who grew up in Bakersfield, is a 25-year veteran of the Fresno Police Department. He grew up with his grandparents and worked as a farm laborer in his adolescence in garlic, grape, and orange fields before attending Fresno State and earning his bachelor’s degree. He also earned a master’s degree from National University.
While at Fresno Police Department, Salazar rose through the ranks and worked as district commander in multiple areas of the city — the violent crime suppression unit, MAGEC gang task, and more. He now oversees the department’s investigations.
As sheriff, he said he would continue issuing concealed carry permits and bring a fresh perspective on how to lead the county’s jail, which had one of the highest increases of in-custody deaths in the state and saw major COVID-19 outbreaks during the pandemic. When asked if he would cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in transferring inmates who may be undocumented, Salazar said he would follow the law.
“I’m from the the era of the Fresno Police Department that, when we do operations, you don’t ask about immigration status,” he said. “I don’t know one ICE officer in my 25-year career, and I’ve had a very active career.”
Salazar acknowledged that if he wins, he would be the county’s first Latino sheriff. He said he recognizes that and is proud of his Latino background, but he pledged to work for everyone in Fresno County, regardless of ethnicity.