Merced police chief announces retirement, after 23 years on force
Merced Police Chief Christopher Goodwin announced his retirement on Monday after 23 years with the department.
“I’ve been thinking about it a long time now,” Goodwin said, according to a news release. “I want to spend more time with my family and enjoy the next phase of my life.”
Goodwin, 50, was appointed acting chief two years ago. He officially became the city’s top law enforcement officer 18 months ago.
“Chris was the right person at the right time for the Department,” City Manager Steve Carrigan said in the release. “He helped transition it to a new generation of policing. I am grateful for what he has done for the City.”
An interim chief has not yet been named.
Goodwin’s last official act as chief will be to swear in five new officers and a captain Thursday. His final day with the City of Merced will be Feb. 7.
During his time as chief, recruitment and retention were Goodwin’s primary priorities. He sent officers to Valley police academies to meet potential employees. He also reinstated specialized units like the Traffic Division, revamped police body camera and video policies and grew community outreach with social media.
“It comes back to being more transparent to the community, and also being able to tell our side of the story,” Goodwin said of these initiatives after being named chief in 2018.
Goodwin worked his way up after acting as a field training officer, detective, sergeant on patrol, lieutenant and captain. He also participated in the Department’s Gang Violence Suppressor Unit and ran SWAT.
“I want to thank all the men and women in the Department who make the police force such a great place to work,” Goodwin said, according to the release. “You can’t do this job alone, and I always had plenty of support in the Department and the community.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2019 at 10:53 AM.
