ELK GROVE, Calif. — Elk Grove Police Chief Timothy Albright announced his plans to retire after 32 years in law enforcement, 17 of which were spent with the Elk Grove Police Department.
"Certainly an exciting time, but I would be lying if I didn't say there was a little bit of terror and uncertainty that's a part of that," Chief Albright said.
Albright has been with the department since it was created in 2006. He was sworn in as police chief in 2019.
"My family is number one in my life. They have taken a backseat to this profession for a number of years, and I really wanted an opportunity to put them first," Albright said.
Albright refers to himself as the technology chief, saying that he brought the tech to the department that would help them serve the community at a higher level.
He expanded the use of police drones and body cameras. After protests and calls for police reform following the death of George Floyd, the department grew the Mobile Crisis Support and Homeless Outreach team.
But when officers behaved badly, Chief Albright insists he didn't hesitate to take action.
One Elk Grove Police officer was fired and another officer resigned over claims of excessive force dating back to June 2019. Police dash cam video shows an officer kick a shoplifting suspect in the head, and the chief says his sergeant failed to report it. The department ended up settling for $100,000.
"It's hard to put a price on the relationship with our community," Albright said.
The chief says he plans to stay with the department until at least March, and he has pledged to help with the transition.
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