SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – It’s the end of an era for San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit, as the longtime member of the department dons his uniform for the last time on Thursday before moving on to retirement.
Nisleit has been a part of the force for 36 years, with the last six years in the role of police chief.
On Thursday morning, the San Diego Police Department will honor Nisleit in a farewell ceremony at department headquarters. The ceremony will be followed by a traditional walk-out/change of command ceremony at 1 p.m.
The change of command ceremony will occur when Nisleit officially hands over his command to the chief select, Assistant Chief of Police Scott Wahl.
On Tuesday, the City of San Diego declared June 4 as “Chief David Nisleit Day.” In his speech, Nisleit shared how emotional this departure from the force will be.
"I joined this police department as a 22-year-old kid from Rolando, born and raised in this city, and I love this city," Nisleit said. “I will continue to love this city, but I will be on the sidelines rooting for all of you."
Also, during the declaration of Chief David Nisleit Day, City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert shared some of Nisleit's career highlights over the last six years as chief.
Von Wilpert said Nisleit was the first police chief to prohibit the use of carotid or chokehold restraints. He also created the first ghost gun apprehension team in the nation. Nisleit led recruitment efforts that yielded the highest number of sworn officers and the most diverse academy team in SDPD history.
Von Wilpert said Nisleit also led initiatives to bring more female officers into the workforce, and with the rise in hate crimes, he launched “Safe Place Programs” for LGBTQ businesses.
Mayor Todd Gloria also spoke of the legacy Nisleit will behind.
"These have been unprecedented times, and yet our city continues to remain one of the safest cities in this country. That is no accident," Gloria said. "That is the result of hard work by every one of our officers and everyone in the police department, but of course, the tone is always set at the top."
