El Cajon Police Chief Announces Retirement After 29 Years on the Service

After nearly three decades with the department and five years as the city’s top cop, El Cajon Police Chief Michael Moulton announced Thursday that he plans to retire at the end of the year, ending a tenure marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and protests over racial injustice.

“Leading this department through the pandemic and the unprecedented challenges of 2020 has been one of my proudest moments,” Moulton said in a statement Thursday. “The resilience of our officers and the support of our community have helped us emerge stronger, and I am proud to have been a part of it.”

Moulton’s career with the department began in November 1995 after living in El Cajon since he was a child. Over the years, he has served in every department, starting with the community policing unit and ending as a detective in the gang unit, officials said.

In 2019, Moulton was appointed the city’s 15th police chief. In the months since, the new chief has led the department through a global pandemic and then civil unrest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, which has sparked protests and criticism of systemic injustice and policing across the country.

Those incidents have led to an increased erosion of public trust in police departments. Moulton has tried to navigate those waters by improving the school resource officer program, improving community engagement through social media and prioritizing transparency with the public, Police Department officials said in a news release.

“Moulton prioritized transparency and building relationships with the community,” Police Department officials said. “He believed that community trust was the foundation of effective policing and worked to ensure the department remained open and communicative, especially during difficult times.”

Officials said Moulton was dedicated to innovation and supporting his team. He prioritized an automated license plate reader program to recover stolen vehicles and used drones to improve officer response times and safety during critical incidents.

Moulton also emphasized the mental health of his officers and tried to provide officers with the resources they needed to cope with the emotional toll of their jobs, according to the department. That, among other things, led to him overseeing the hiring of 110 officers during his tenure, while department ranks across the country were shrinking.

The department currently employs 199 full-time employees, including 136 sworn officers and 63 civilian employees.

“Chief Moulton led with integrity and compassion,” said El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells. “His leadership during challenging times and commitment to innovation were invaluable to the safety and prosperity of our city. He will be greatly missed.”

The chief’s retirement date has been set for December 30. The city said it will soon begin a search for his successor.

Originally published: September 21, 2024 at 4:52 PM