(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Cal Expo Police Chief Robert Craft has retired after 40 years of outstanding and dedicated service to the Cal Expo Police Department. While former-Chief Craft enjoys his well-deserved retirement, the California Exposition and State Fair has begun the process to recruit a new Chief of Police, which could take 4 to 6 months. With the 2018 California State Fair slated to start on July 13, and in an effort to maintain continuity in its Police and Security Department, Cal Expo believed it prudent to select a temporary Acting Chief of Police. After conducting interviews and performing reference checks, Cal Expo announced that Joe Robillard has been selected to serve as Cal Expo’s Acting Chief of Police.
Mr. Robillard has worked at Cal Expo since 2007 and has many years of law enforcement experience, including 13 years with the Yuba City Police Department, 20 years with the CA Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, and 3 years with the State Lottery. Mr. Robillard has been an integral part of the Cal Expo police and security operations throughout the last 11 CA State Fairs.
More specifically, Mr. Robillard began his career at the Yuba City Police department as a young Police Officer and worked his way up to the position of Watch Commander. He then moved into State service with ABC as an Investigator and over time became the Chief of the Professional Standards Unit. He was subsequently appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger and then Governor Brown to serve as the Deputy Director of the Security and Law Enforcement Division for the State Lottery. Given his experience at the local regional and State level, he brings a wealth of strong relationships with management personnel at other law enforcement agencies throughout Northern California. Cal Expo is very pleased to have a person of his background, experience and proven leadership to serve as Cal Expo’s Acting Chief of Police.
“Chief Craft devoted his long and distinguished career to providing for the safety and security of everyone at the California Exposition & State Fair," said Robillard, "I am honored to serve as the Acting Chief of Police and will strive to continue the high level of public safety that Chief Craft so proudly developed and consistently provided.”
Cal Expo congratulates Joe Robillard as he assumes the role of Acting Chief of Police, effective immediately.
About the California State Fair
The California State Fair is an international award-winning fair, receiving top honors at the International Association of Fairs and Expositions out of more than 1,100 fairs world-wide. The California State Fair is dedicated as a place to celebrate the best the state has to offer in agriculture, technology and the diversity of its people, traditions and trends that shape the Golden State's future. We invite you to join us for the 165th California State Fair, July13-29, 2018.
