Thursday was the first full day on the job for Mercedes police Chief Frank Sanchez.

Prior to his appointment as police chief, Sanchez served as the department’s public information officer for five years.

Sanchez’s law enforcement career began in 2011 when he worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

In 2013, Sanchez began working for the La Feria Police Department.

Sanchez then began working for the Mercedes Police Department in 2016.