Dixon police chief steps down after wife receives promotion
The Chief of Police in Dixon will be retiring from the department after his wife received a job promotion in Southern California.
The couple intends to relocate in the short future, according to a press release issued by Dixon's city manager earlier this week.
Robert Thompson joined the department in early 2017, and though his tenure with the city was short, he was instrumental in implementing several reforms and improvements that had “a notable difference in the department and in the city,” manager Jim Lindley wrote.
During his three years with the agency, Thompson streamlined the agency, transforming it into a “high-functioning and professional organization,” Lindley said. He was also a supporter of additional use-of-force training for officers with an emphasis on de-escalation techniques, following a similar trend across other law enforcement agencies throughout the United States in recent years.
“We will have some very large shoes to fill,” Thompson said.
Dixon officials said they weren’t sure who would replace Thompson when he resigns. An exact retirement date was not available as of Tuesday afternoon.
Thompson’s resignation follows similar moves in recent years by law enforcement leadership in other areas of Solano County.
In September, the City of Fairfield announced the hiring of Deanna Cantrell, the former police chief of San Luis Obispo, to serve as its permanent chief of police. Cantrell took over for interim police chief Walter Tibbet, who retired from the agency.
Last month, Richard Allio, the interim Vallejo assistant police chief, resigned to care for his terminally-ill child. He had been in the newly-created position for less than three months and was expected to continue through the end of the year.
This newsletter is an all-volunteer effort. If you would like to show your appreciation, consider making a donation in any amount or converting your email subscription into a paid one. Discuss this newsletter and other stories from across Solano County on our Facebook group here and follow our new Twitter account here.