Raymond William Forsyth

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of retired Visalia Chief of Police Ray Forsyth on December 18, 2023. Ray was born on May 1, 1936 to Wallace and Mary (Hazlett) Forsyth in Pennsylvania. He was married to Merietta Lee (Autry) Forsyth for 54 years who passed on October 18, 2023. They had one daughter, Nicole Forsyth.

Ray joined the Army after high school and after being discharged from the Army in 1958, Chief Raymond W. Forsyth came to Visalia. He joined the Police Department in 1959 as a radio dispatcher and became a police officer within several months. In 1964, he was promoted to Patrol Sergeant and, in 1967, was promoted to Detective/Sergeant in the Juvenile Division (Youth Development Program). Ray was appointed to Chief of Police on September 1, 1970, the same day the police department moved to its current location, 303 South Johnson Street. Forsyth retired from the Visalia Police Department in 1992 and became City Manager.

Forsyth emphasized employee and management development for staff. Through several federal grants, major revisions were made in upgrading and modernizing reporting procedures (police officers used telephone recordings rather than handwriting reports), radio communications were upgraded, and the use of microfilm assisted in storage of police files. In 1973, the Anti-Burglary Team, aimed at reducing burglaries in Visalia, a Human Relations Bureau, and a Basic Car Team were established.

Chief Forsyth also carried the commensurate titles and duties of Public Safety Director, Assistant City Manager, and was a member of the City Manager’s advisory staff. He earned an AA Degree in Criminal Justice at the College of Sequoias, a BA Degree in Criminal Justice at California State University Fresno, a MA Degree in Counseling at Chapman University, and a PhD in Public Administration through a directed study program at Southern California University of Beverly Hills. Forsyth is also a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government (in residence) Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ray was involved in POST and in numerous programs and committees such as Command College, Leadership Institute, and Team Building Provider. He had a lifetime teaching credential and was adjunct faculty for College of the Sequoias. He was past President of the California State Police Chiefs Association (1980) and served in an advisory capacity for the California State Attorney General’s Office. He authored articles for POST Pace Setter Publications, California Police Chiefs, Psychology Today and Western City Magazine.

Raymond will be greatly missed by his daughter Nicole and his grandson Spencer, family members and many community friends.

A Celebration of Life for Raymond will be held on Monday, January 29, 2024 at 9:30 AM at Miller Memorial Chapel 1120 West Goshen Avenue, Visalia, California 93291, followed with Interment at 11:00 AM at Visalia Public Cemetery District, 1300 West Goshen Avenue, Visalia, California 93291.

Serving as pallbearers are Jesse Gonzales, Allyn Wightman, John Gomes, Rudy Vargas, Dave Wheeler, Spencer Hensley, and Honorary Pallbearers are Ricky Stevenson, Leticia Gainey, Emily Jadav and Andrew Beltran.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.millerchapel.com for the Forsyth family.