Former Cincinnati cop now chief of police in West Palm Beach

CINCINNATI - A veteran Cincinnati police officer will begins his new career as a police chief Friday.

Vince Demasi will be sworn in Friday morning in West Palm Beach.

Demasi said he would work to keep crime down as he worked to change what is often a broader public perception about police, according to our Scripps station WPTV ,

"I think they are legitimate concerns," Demasi said. "The way you bridge it is through transparency. And, you invite people in. And, you encourage them to participate."

Demasi spent more than three decades working his way up the ranks of the Cincinnati Police Department and said West Palm Beach shared many of the challenges of Cincinnati.

"The crime rates are relatively low as compared to where I came from. But, you know, you say that and no crime is acceptable," he said. "There's going to be problems. There's going to be gaps within your community. There are problem areas where you'll have to focus. It has to be a very holistic kind of approach. It's not just the police. It' the whole city working together to try to improve the quality of life for all of our citizens."

West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio hired Demasi earlier this year after a national search.

In Cincinnati, he said the 2001 riots -- and his family -- shaped the person he is today.

"Being a dad is probably the most difficult thing I have ever gone through. And, caused my baldness," he said. "From a professional standpoint, this is without a doubt probably one of the most challenging things I have ever undertaken."

Demasi replaces Delsa Bush who resigned in 2011.