'He always led from the front': Bruce McDermott, former Visalia police chief dies at 70

Bruce McDermott, the former police chief whose affable personality and love for Visalia defined his decades of community service, died early Friday at his home in Visalia.

He was 70 years old.

McDermott retired as Visalia Chief of Police in 1997, capping 24 years with the Visalia Police Department, the only department he ever worked for.

McDermott was forced into early retirement with a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. He spent the rest of his life as an advocate for Parkinson's research, several times volunteering for experimental treatment for the disease with doctors at UCLA.

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As police chief, McDermott oversaw a host of policing innovations in Visalia. According to the City of Visalia website, on McDermott's watch were instituted: the Citizen's Police Academy, the Chaplain's Program, the Field Impact Team and Gang Suppression Unit, the graffiti education program, and ordinances related to skateboarding and curfew.

When the community was wracked by the gang slayings of Kelly Scott and Nancy Saechao in 1994, McDermott was among the leaders who worked toward improved measures in juvenile justice. Those community efforts led to the building of a new Tulare County Juvenile Detention Center, later named for another crucial leader, Judge William Silveira, and the establishment of Pro-Youth Visalia/HEART, thanks to the efforts of Laurie Isham and others. Those improvements persist to this day.

Visalia Police Chief Jason Salazar said McDermott's leadership led to many of the innovations his department continues to employ.

"I remember that he always led from the front as far as involvement in the community," Salazar said. "Any community event, he was there."

As significant as his contributions as chief, however, McDermott might have had an even greater impact on Visalia in his retirement. He served on virtually every community board and civic organization, often lending his name and considerable networking contacts to fundraising appeals and civic projects.

Former Visalis mayor and longtime Visalia City Council member Bob Link noted McDermott's long service to Visalia.

"Bruce was a very important part of the city of Visalia and the police department," Link said, "and his involvement in community activity of all kinds is well known."

Among the many organizations he served were Visalia Emergency Aid,

Boys and Girls Clubs, United Way, Boy Scouts, Visalia Rescue Mission, Interagency Gang Suppression Unit, Parkinson's Support Group, Pro Youth/HEART, Miracle League, Visalia Parks Foundation, Visalia Chamber of Commerce and many others. In 1998, he served as president of the Rotary of Visalia, where he was a member for 30 years.

McDermott also served as spokesman for many years of Provident Mortgage and the Provident Salierno Family Foundation, founded by Tony Salierno.

"His outgoing personality and his working to help people were what made him so effective," Salierno said, "and his off-the-cuff ability to communicate and his amazing wit."

Always in demand as a guest speaker, McDermott earned the sobriquet, "The Fastest Wit in the West."

Salazar said that McDermott's sense of humor was a trademark.

"Every time he would speak at a function, he would have you in tears laughing," Salazar said.

McDermott and Salierno collaborated on many local projects and activities. One of the better known was the Turkey Transit Singers, which McDermott helped found to serve the Visalia Emergency Aid Council. Over the years, the Singers raised more than $200,000 for Visalia Emergency Aid.

McDermott's inability to say "no" when asked for help defined his contribution to Visalia and led to his being recognized many times in the community, including the 2001 Visalia Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year and the designation of "Bruce McDermott Grove" by the City of Visalia Parks Department. He was also honored for lifetime achievement by the Boy Scouts of America, and by the Tulare County District Attorney's Office on Law Day 2010.

Then-District Attorney Phil Cine recognized McDermott by saying, "If you looked in the dictionary under 'courage,' Bruce's picture would be there."

Visalia business and community leader Stan Simpson worked with McDermott on several projects, especially connected with Visalia Rotary.

"He is truly an extraordinary example of a native Visalian who loved the city and put the welfare of the city above his own," Simpson said. "He had an uncanny ability, and a sense of humor, that enabled him to communicate with people and serve the community."

McDermott's credentials as a son of Visalia were second perhaps only to Simpson's. The son of a prominent local judge and attorney, McDermott attended George McCann School and Redwood High School. After graduating from the University of San Francisco, he returned to Visalia and immediately joined the Visalia Police Department in 1973.

McDermott rose through the department ranks to become sergeant in 1980, lieutenant in 1984 and captain five years later. His predecessor and mentor, longtime Chief Ray Forsythe, groomed McDermott to become chief, which he did in 1993 when Forsythe moved up to Visalia city manager.

Salazar recalls that McDermott took over the department in a time of fiscal belt-tightening, and was grateful that McDermott gave him his start. Salazar graduated from the police academy at the time in 1993 and hoped to land a job with Visalia. McDermott fought to keep a position open for him.

"Chief McDermott went to bat for me and swore me in as a community service officer, and again as officer. I earned my first badge thanks to him," Salazar said. "I'll always be grateful."

Salazar recalled that McDermott preached a philosophy of "The VPD Way," which was started by Forsythe.

"It was more a mission statement, with core values of Integrity, Service, Fiscal Responsibility and People," Salazar said.

McDermott instituted an eight-hour training session in The VPD Way for all new hires, a practice that lapsed until Salazar revived it when he took over as chief in 2015.

"It's a legacy we have carried on," Salazar said. "Bruce didn't just talk the talk, he walked the walk. He always led from the front. He believed that service to this city was an investment in this place we call home. We are going to miss him."

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Former Visalia police chief dies at 70