After Livingston police chief’s dismissal, Merced Sheriff’s Office steps in to lead
Following the dismissal of the City of Livingston’s police chief earlier this month, the department will now be supervised by the Merced County Sheriff’s Office — at least temporarily.
Lt. Charles Hale, who has nearly two decades of experience with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, told the Sun-Star that he assumed the title of interim police chief for the department on Monday.
Hale will continue to maintain his duties with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office while temporarily acting as chief.
“Things are working pretty smoothly,” Hale said during his second day on the job. “It should be business as usual.”
Hale comes to the Livingston Police Department in the wake of John Markle’s abrupt departure after just six months as chief, which led to protest in front of City Hall last week as residents in support of Markle demanded answers.
Questions and grievances were sparked earlier in the week when Markle’s Dec. 30 retirement was announced, shortly followed by the news he was put on administrative leave the same day — effectively ending his duties immediately.
Some Livingston residents say the move mirrored a pattern of certain city officials, like former city manager Jose Ramirez, being pushed out of their roles by other city officials.
Suspicion of what some Livingston residents see as corrupt behavior has led such critics to push for the recall of all but one City Council member.
Plus, an investigation by the Merced County District Attorney’s Office into allegations of potential voting fraud has made for a tumultuous year in Livingston. As a result, Markle’s exit is seen by many residents as just the latest in a series of events that have spurred protests outside City Hall.
Sheriff’s Office has helped smaller cities before
The transition in leadership isn’t the first time that a member of the Merced County Sheriff’s Office has stepped in to assume leadership of a local police department.
In 2006, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office supervised operations at the Dos Palos Police Department while the chief was briefly suspended.
Hale said the Livingston community should be assured that their police department continues to be intact. “The men and women of this department do a lot of hard work day in and day out,” he said.
Hale’s interim role will entail guiding the Livingston Police Department and working with the interim city manager, as well as other city officials. He will be present in the Livingston community for as long as it takes to hire a permanent police chief.
“It really is just a simple interim process. We would help anybody out in a similar situation,” Hale said. “The Sheriff’s Office, this is something that we do.”
Hale has nearly 26 years of experience with the Sheriff’s Office and other departments under his belt. He started his career with the Dos Palos Police Department in the late 1990s and later served a stint as a police officer and detective for the Newman Police Department in Stanislaus County, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.
Hale said he’s served just about every assignment at the Sheriff’s Office, ranging from roles as a detective, field training officer and firearms instructor. Most recently, he has overseen the Merced County John Latorraca Correctional Facility.
This story was originally published November 24, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
