Police chief announces retirement

Maricopa Police Chief Patrick Melvin announced today he is retiring and running for City Council.

“It is with mixed feelings that I am informing you that I am retiring from the Maricopa PD and will be running for the Maricopa City Council,” Melvin wrote in an email to City Manager Brenda Fischer and members of the police department.

The effective date of his retirement is Oct. 28.

Melvin has worked for the city for five years as police chief, public safety director and assistant city manager.

He is credited as one of the architects who built the police department after it was created in 2006. His badge number is “001.”

In 2008, Melvin was named “Maricopa Man of the Year.”

“I love the MPD and I love the city of Maricopa and feel I can better serve public safety, our citizens and be an advocate for public safety at the council level,” he wrote.

Melvin has not picked up a nomination packet to run for office, but said he plans to do so.

Asked if retiring is something he had been thinking about for a while, Melvin said he can’t discuss it while he is still a city employee.

Fischer said over the next couple of weeks she will consider her options for how best to transition the department.

“I want to assure the citizens and businesses of Maricopa that continuity of operations is my highest priority and the fine men and women of the MPD will continue to fulfill their duties with professionalism,” she said in a released statement. “We will keep the public informed as significant decisions are made regarding filling the police chief position.”