Jacksonville Beach Police Chief announces retirement

A change at the top at the Jacksonville Beach police department.  Chief Bruce Thomason just announced he's retiring in October.

Thomason has been chief for 21 years, and takes credit for creating several programs designed to keep the beach community safe.

Here is the formal announcement from the Jacksonville Beach Police Department:

Chief Thomason began his law enforcement career in 1967 in his hometown police department in Beaumont, Texas. Rising to the rank of Captain, Chief Thomason left Beaumont in 1986 to assume command of the West Carrollton, Ohio Police Department.  On July 29, 1991, he accepted the Chief's position in Jacksonville Beach.

Under Chief Thomason's leadership, the police department focused on improving public safety by forming a close partnership with its citizens. The department created numerous programs to accomplish that mission, including, among others:

Community Assisted Policing Effort (CAPE) in the Pablo Beach, South neighborhood;
Community Response Team;
Downtown CAPE program;
Citizen Police Academy (CPA);
CPA Alumni Association;
Citizens On Patrol program;
Community relations programs for children (Youth Police Academy, Kids Fishing Rodeo, Kids Halloween Party, and Kids Christmas Party);
DARE Programs for elementary schools and the middle school;
Neighborhood Watch programs

The Jacksonville Beach Police Department became a nationally accredited law enforcement agency in 1995. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) awards accredited status only to those few agencies that have clearly demonstrated high standards of professionalism and excellence. Recently, the department successfully completed the Gold Standard Assessment, the newest and highest award conferred by CALEA.

In retirement, the Chief said he plans to continue writing novels and spending quality time with his family.