Veteran Merced police detective retires after 28 years

Scott Skinner worked in nearly every capacity during his 28 years with the Merced Police Department before his recent retirement.

“He was a cop’s cop,” said Merced police Capt. Tom Trindad, who was hired about the same time as Skinner in the late 1980s. “I never knew him to be anything but the epitome of a good police officer.”

Skinner began his career with the Merced Police Department in 1988 as a patrol officer. Through the years he was a K-9 patrol officer; part of the street-crime unit; a field training officer in the traffic division; in the gang violence suppression unit; and a member of the SWAT team. He ended his career as a sergeant and supervisor of the detectives division.

Skinner thanked former police chief Pat Lunney for hiring him and “taking a chance on a wide-eyed boy.”

Over the years, Skinner said it’s been tough to keep up with the crime rate with fewer boots on the ground. But he thanked detectives and other personnel he’s worked with in the past for their hard work.

“There are friendships I’ll never forget,” he said. “The guys in the investigations unit, I hold them close to my heart. They’re hard workers, and I’ll never forget them or what they’ve done for me – past and present.”

Larry Morse II, Merced County district attorney, said his office won murder trials due in part to Skinner’s work.

“We did not lose one murder trial while Scott was detective sergeant, because the cases he presented for prosecution were thoroughly, professionally and ethically investigated,” Morse said. “Scott was both well-respected and well-liked by the detectives who worked under him, and that isn’t always the case. Our office thought the world of him.”

Skinner’s colleagues say his work ethic and passion for the community made him stand out in the department.

“He grew up in this community,” Trindad said. “This town was a part of who he was and what he was about. … This was Scott’s home and his community. I think he really cared.”

And his dedication never wavered. “He was consistent in everything he did,” Trindad said. “He did it well, and he did it with passion. He gave it his all.”

Skinner was one of the first investigators on one of Merced’s most notable cases – the Chapman murder case. In October 2006, someone broke into Bill and Lena Chapman’s home on South Bear Creek Drive, killed them and set fire to their home. The home was leveled in 2010. No one has been arrested in connection with the unsolved case, and detectives haven’t released new information.

“I strongly feel that the case someday will be solved,” Skinner said. “There have been some advancements in DNA that have been brought to our attention by the Chapman family. We’ve re-sent some items off for testing. Hopefully they can catch the break they need to solve it.”

Skinner plans to travel and visit family in the next couple of months. He predicts he will eventually go back to work, though he currently has no plans to go back into law enforcement.

This story was originally published October 21, 2015 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Veteran Merced police detective retires after 28 years."