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DENVER (KDVR) — Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced Wednesday that Armando Saldate is his nominee for executive director of the Department of Public Safety.

Saldate is the Performance Improvement Manager for the Denver Department of Public Safety and serves on the executive advisory board for the city’s Public Integrity Division.  He has also worked as an investigator and manager with the Denver Sheriff Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau.

Before coming to Denver, Saldate worked in Arizona where he retired from the Phoenix Police Department after 20 years. He also worked in the FBI Phoenix Violent Gang Task Force and Joint Terrorism Task Force.

“With Armando at the helm of this critical department as we enter this new year, we are going to sharpen our focus even more on improving public safety and reducing crime,” Hancock said. “His mix of law enforcement experience, diversity of professional background and collaborative approach to problem-solving make him a natural fit for this important role.”

Hancock has asked Saldate to review the city’s safety programs and initiatives to see if changes are needed.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve the Denver community as the Executive Director of Public Safety. Given my extensive background in public safety, I recognize the immense challenges that our agencies face each and every day,” Saldate said. “I know many of you are concerned about crime in Denver. While we are seeing an uptick in crime across major cities in the United States, what matters is what is happening in our city. We need to restore order in our city while providing valuable resources to those who are struggling in our communities, and we can only do that if we work together. The Department of Safety will be at the table with you to work to make Denver safer for everyone.”

Murphy Robinson, the previous director of public safety for the City of Denver, announced that he would be leaving his position late last year. He will vacate the position at the end of this week.

Robinson moved into the director role in January 2020 and held it through a challenging two years during COVID-19 and riots.

Saldate will need city council’s approval for official acceptance. You can watch his introduction on FOX31 NOW in the player above.