ST. PAUL, Minn.— The magazine Latino American Today named the police chief of St. Charles, Jose Pelaez, its state La Familia Latino Heritage community leader. Palaez, a native of Ecuador, has been chief since 2021. He moved to the United States in 2001 and, motivated by the 9/11 terrorist attack, decided to become a police officer. Jn St. Charles he speaks with young people, often in Spanish, about pursuing higher education: “As a Latino I can help bridge the gap between the Hispanic community and law enforcement,” Besides being police chief, Palaez is the emergency management director for St. Charles.
Palaez. In third year as chief.
