The City of Watsonville on Thursday announced that Police Chief Jorge Zamora is retiring, with his last day set for Aug. 30.
The retirement will end a law enforcement career of more than three decades.
Zamora began as a police cadet when he was 15, and became a full-time officer in 1996. Throughout his career, he served in patrol, SWAT, narcotics, the detective bureau and as a youth mentor and instructor.
In 2022, he became Watsonville’s 16th Chief of Police and the first first-generation Mexican-American to hold the position.
“Thank you, Watsonville, for your trust, support, and partnership,” Zamora stated in a press release. “I am especially grateful to this community for believing in a young man who grew up in a neighborhood where gang violence was prevalent, and expectations for success for children of farmworkers were low. The odds were against me, but you gave me the opportunity to rise, serve, and lead.”
During his tenure, Chief Zamora led the department through many challenges, including staffing shortages and evolving community expectations around public safety. He created a Chief’s Advisory Board and significantly increased community engagement efforts to build trust and foster collaboration.
“I am especially grateful to all of the Watsonville Police officers, staff and volunteers who continue to work hard each day to make a difference in our community, Zamora said.
City Manager Vides said that Zamora’s leadership has been instrumental in enhancing public safety and strengthening community trust.
“We are grateful for his years of service and wish him all the best in retirement,” she said.
As the city prepares to hire a new chief, Vides will appoint Assistant Chief David Rodriguez as interim.
Zamora’s retirement marks the fourth police chief WPD has lost since 2009, when Terry Medina retired. Manny Solano then took the top spot, but retired three years later in 2018, when the city hired David Honda.
Honda lasted three years, leaving for another department in 2012.
