Rochester Police Chief Jim Sheppard is retiring. Sheppard made the announcement in an email he sent to the police department on Wednesday morning.
In the email, Sheppard called his time as chief a "tremendous honor" during the three years he served in that role, and he says he made the announcement with a heavy heart. But Sheppard says although this is a difficult decision, he knows it is the right one at this time.
Sheppard will remain chief through December. When City Council President Lovely Warren was elected Mayor this month, she said that senior management would be asked to re-apply for their jobs. She had made no commitment to what might happen with the police chief's job.
On Wednesday, Warren issued a brief statement: "Today I join with many others across the city in thanking Chief James Sheppard for his many years of service. I wish him well in all his future endeavors."
Mayor Tom Richards issued this statement:
"Jim Sheppard is a son of Rochester, growing up here and rising through the ranks in the Rochester Police Department from patrolman to the top job as Chief. He loves Rochester and the RPD and demanded the best of its members and himself. Jim understands the changing nature of modern, urban policing. Upon his 2010 swearing-in, Chief Sheppard set out to instill confidence in the leadership of the RPD with the rank and file officers and to open the lines of communication between the police and the community. He has done both. His genuine personal commitment of time and energy to "Policing in the Spirit of Service" has included many successful initiatives and reflects how he has conducted himself as Chief.
I want to thank Chief Sheppard for his 30 years of service to our city and personally thank Jim for his service to this administration. I am proud of him and of the RPD he led. He will be greatly missed."
