The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008 

It's a historic occasion . . . for the City of San Diego, for the police department and for the Filipino and Asian communities. Getting there, a notch closer to the top, is a big leap for this Filipino immigrants' son, Cesar Solis, who had dreamt of becoming a fighter pilot and ended up fighting crime instead. The community celebrates his promotion to assistant chief of America's Finest.

Diego Police, America's Finest: Capt. Cesar Solis Gets New Appointment as Assistant Chief

By Romeo P. Marquez

The author is a member of the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) and National Press Club of the Philippines-USA.

Police Captain Cesar Solis, an immigrants' son whose parents hail from Naic, Cavite, in the Philippines, will be promoted to assistant chief of America's Finest, Chief William Lansdowne has announced.

The promotion, which included another officer, Captain Bob Kanaski, takes effect on August 23, a police spokesman said.

“I have every confidence that Bob and Cesar will continue to be successful leaders and steer our department in a positive direction. I look forward to working with them in their new assignments,” Police Chief Lansdowne said in a statement to the Philippine Village Voice.

Captain Solis' advancement makes him the only Filipino to have reached the position and rank within earshot of being the top cop in the police department of the City of San Diego, California's second, and the nation's eighth, largest with an estimated population of 1.3 million.

The promotion also marks a significant milestone for the growing Asian community in both the city and county of San Diego.

"Not only is this great for the department and the community, but it is also a historic occasion - Cesar is the highest ranking Asian-Pacific Islander in the history of the San Diego Police Department!," said Alicia De Leon Torres, national director of the National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse.

PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE - Redefining Community News
BREAKING NEWS -  Exclusive
Volume 2, Issue No. 17 / News Without Fear or Favor—A community service of San Diego's Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@aol.com or at 619.265.0611) for the information and better understanding of the public.

Captain Solis, a 27-year veteran, currently commands Investigations II which includes homicide, robbery, gangs, economic crimes, auto theft, District Attorney Liaison Unit and the metro arson strike team (MAST).

"In his new assignment, Captain Solis will preside over Centralized Investigations which includes units such as child abuse, vice, narcotics, economic crimes, homicide and robbery," according to a police spokesman.

After his promotion to captain in 2005, Solis was appointed to command the department's southeastern district, the most diverse and problematic with a huge population of Filipinos, Hispanics, African Americans and other Asians.

He also served as a lieutenant at Western and Central Divisions, SWAT, narcotics sections, gangs, community relations and the emergency negotiations team.

As a child, Captain Solis had dreamt of becoming a fighter pilot, and then refocused his attention to law enforcement while in high school. He worked odd jobs, including a stint as a manager of a KFC restaurant. # # #

 (This Breaking News is posted online and credited to Romeo P. Marquez, editor, Philippine Village Voice, San Diego, California. Mailing address: P.O. Box 2118, La Jolla, CA. 92038)