El Cajon police chief announces retirement after 29 years of 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 his plans to retire later this year, concluding 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 was one of my proudest moments,” Moulton said Thursday in a statement. “The resilience of our officers and the support from our community helped us emerge stronger, and I’m proud to have been part of that.”
Moulton’s career with the department began in November 1995 after living in El Cajon since his childhood. Over the years, he served in every division, beginning with the community policing unit and becoming a detective with the gang suppression unit, officials said.
In 2019, Moulton was named the city’s 15th police chief. Within a few months, the new chief was leading the department first through a global pandemic and then the civil unrest after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, which spurred protests and criticism against systemic injustice and policing nationwide.
These incidents led to increased erosion of public trust in police departments. Moulton attempted to navigate these waters by enhancing 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 relationship-building with the public,” Police Department officials said. “He believed that community trust was the foundation for effective policing and worked to ensure that the department remained open and communicative, especially during difficult times.”
Officials said Moulton was committed to innovation and supporting his team. He prioritized the automated license-plate reader program to recover stolen vehicles and used drones to improve officer response time and safety during critical incidents.
Moulton also emphasized his officers’ mental health, and he worked to ensure officers had the proper resources needed to manage the emotional toll of their work, according to the department. This, among other things, led to him overseeing the hiring of 110 officers during his tenure while departments across the country saw their ranks dwindle.
The department currently has 199 full-time staff, including 136 sworn officers and 63 civilian staff.
“Chief Moulton has led with integrity and compassion,” El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said. “His leadership during challenging times and his commitment to innovation have been invaluable to the safety and well-being of our city. He will be greatly missed.”
The chief’s retirement date is set for Dec. 30. The city said it will begin searching for his replacement shortly.