It was an emotional farewell Tuesday night for the City of Lompoc’s police chief.
Chief Joseph Mariani has been with the Lompoc Police Department since 2015 and announced his retirement earlier this month.
“I never saw that level of commitment that I've seen in the last seven-and-a-half years here," Mariani, whose served in law enforcement for nearly 50 years, said at Tuesday night’s City Council Meeting.
"They're not perfect, but they're amazing people who do amazing things that I was able to witness on a daily basis," he said while urging councilmembers and the community to take care of the city’s police department.
In 2015, Mariani came out of retirement from the LAPD to serve as a captain for the Lompoc Police Department. He’s served as chief since March 2019.
Mariani’s last day on the job will be Dec. 31.
Captain Kevin Martin will serve as interim chief until a new chief is named.
