Gil Carrillo is the man who helped crack the Night Stalker case, one of the Southern California's most terrifying murder sprees. Richard Ramirez killed and attacked from South Orange County to San Francisco, and he seemed to do so at random. You can only imagine the sweat he generated as Angelenos kept their windows locked tight in the summer of 1985.

The sheriff's detective retired as a hero in 2009, remembered warmly for helping to ID Ramirez, whose mug shot was released to a public that literally chased him down on the street one day that summer.

Now Carrillo is back:

The embattled city of San Fernando, perhaps looking to inject some stability and credibility into City Hall following a well-publicized sex scandal, has hired Carrillo to lead its small police department.

Besides a mayoral affair that played out publicly during a City Council meeting, San Fernando has had to deal with a police chief who was criticized after a female cadet claimed she had sex with him and was later forced out of the organization.

Carrillo, it is hoped, will set the town straight while the search continues for a permanent chief. City administrator Al Hernadez said in a statement sent to the media:

Mr. Carrillo comes highly recommended by many influential leaders including Carmen Trutanich, City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles. His colleauges refer to him as a “cops cop” and as a leader who has always maintained the highest ethical standards.

The ex-detective said he looks forward to it:

I am humbled and honored and look forward to living up to the expectations of the city of San Fernando. My objective is to move this department forward and I will work diligently to meet and greet and win the residents, the citizens and every member of the Police Officers Association and all of its members.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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