In a ceremony filled with members of the Venice community and his family, Andrew Leisenring was officially sworn in as the 20th police chief for the Venice Police Department. With an 18-year career in law enforcement, Leisenring takes over the role following the retirement of Chief Charles Thorpe on Jan. 3. Leisenring, 48, joined the Venice Police Department in 2007 and has served in various capacities, including his starting position as a patrol officer and most recently as a patrol captain. Now, as chief, he aims to lead the department into a new era, balancing tradition with innovation. "I really want to build on the successes of the past, but I also want to focus on using technology to make the department more efficient," Leisenring said. Leisenring said he is determined to navigate the complexities of modern policing while staying true to the city's long-defined values. At the top of Leisenring's agenda is addressing the challenges of recruiting and retaining high-quality personnel in today's competitive environment. "It's about showing people interested in law enforcement what the job is really about," he explained. "There are ways they can help people and positively impact lives in ways no other job can. I want to expose them to that and let them see the difference they can make." Another pressing issue on Leisenring's list of priorities is combating elder-targeted fraud and internet scams, which have increasingly affected Venice's senior population. "This is a serious issue," Leisenring said.