VACAVILLE, Calif. – Following a dedicated career in law enforcement spanning nearly three decades, Chief of Police Ian Schmutzler has announced his retirement, effective December 31, 2024. Chief Schmutzler has served the Vacaville Police Department with dedication and integrity for 25 years, leading the department as Chief of Police since January 2022.

“Serving as the Chief of Police has been the greatest honor of my career,” shared Chief Schmutzler. “I am deeply grateful to my colleagues, our city leaders, and the Vacaville community for their trust and support. While I look forward to retirement, I will always treasure the partnerships and accomplishments we achieved together. Reflecting on the last three years, we have streamlined department operations and improved trust between law enforcement and the Vacaville community while continuing to earn our reputation as a very safe city. We have hired and promoted staff at a record pace since 2022 significantly increasing our Youth Development staff.” 

Chief Schmutzler continued solemnly, “we have also been through the most difficult and devastating time in our department’s history, when in July we experienced the heartbreaking loss of a brother in arms, Matthew Bowen. As I move on from this post, I am confident in our department’s unwavering commitment to this community and their resilience in times of adversity.”

Under Chief Schmuztler’s leadership, the Department emphasized building trust with the Vacaville community through increased community engagement to create valuable bonds and partnerships. In particular, youth-focused programs, such as PAL, have played a pivotal role in reaching and serving more young people than ever before. In an effort to utilize technological resources to solve more complex cases, the City received a $4.4 million grant from State of California to build a Real-Time Information Center, currently under construction, which will bring the latest crime-fighting technology to Vacaville in 2025.

“Ian Schmutzler has been an exceptional leader who has demonstrated a steadfast dedication to public safety, community engagement, and progressive policing,” commented City Manager Aaron Busch on Chief Schmutzler’s tenure. “His efforts will leave a lasting mark on our community, and we wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement.”

Chief Schmutzler began his law enforcement career in 1997 with the Oakland Police Department before joining the Vacaville Police Department in 2000. Over the years, he has held various critical roles, including Field Training Officer, Detective, and Commander of the Field Operations and Support Bureaus.

City Manager Busch will oversee the process to select Chief Schmutzler’s successor in the coming months.