Vacaville Police Chief Ian Schmutzler has announced he is retiring at the end of the year, ending more than 20 years with the department where he has served as chief since January 2022.
Schmutzler’s retirement is effective Dec. 31.
“Serving as the chief of police has been the greatest honor of my career,” he said in a statement posted on the department’s social media. “I am deeply grateful to my colleagues, our city leaders, and the Vacaville community for their trust and support.”
Schmutzler started his law enforcement career in 1997 with the Oakland Police Department before joining the Vacaville police force in 2000 and worked in roles such as field training officer, detective and commander of the field operations and support bureaus before being becoming the police chief in 2022.
“Ian Schmutzler has been an exceptional leader who has demonstrated a steadfast dedication to public safety, community engagement, and progressive policing,” City Manager Aaron Busch said in the social media post. “His efforts will leave a lasting mark on our community, and we wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement.”
Busch will oversee the process to select the city’s next police chief in the coming months.
