No word yet on who will replace police chief

Assistant Chief Joseph Forti says it's likely department will get new head

Police Chief Mark Paresi recently was placed on leave. A North Las Vegas official says he does not know whether a search for a new chief will be conducted nationally.VIEW file photo Advertisement

The city of North Las Vegas remains tight-lipped on the subject of Police Chief Mark Paresi leaving his post.

Paresi was placed on leave Oct. 29 by City Manager Gregory Rose. He had been police chief since June 2002.

After a city council meeting Nov. 7, attended by acting Police Chief Joseph Chronister and Assistant Chief Joseph Forti, Forti said it did look like the department would be getting a new chief.

Forti also said he had not been told whether the new chief would be hired from within the North Las Vegas Police Department or if a national search would be conducted.

Brenda Fischer, director of communications for the city, said Chronister is the acting police chief while Paresi is on paid leave "pending the outcome of a personnel matter."

"Whenever anybody's out of the office, there's an acting director," she said.