Modesto’s assistant police chief named interim chief upon Galen Carroll’s retirement
City Manager Joe Lopez announced Wednesday that Assistant Police Chief Brandon Gillespie will serve as interim chief upon the retirement of Galen Carroll, who has led the Police Department for nearly eight years.
Carroll’s last day on the job is Christmas Eve. Gillespie, who started with the department nearly 20 years ago as an officer, becomes interim chief Christmas Day. Lopez was expected to appoint Gillespie to the interim position.
Gillespie will get a 5 percent salary increase to $198,744 as interim chief to oversee a department of about 300 employees and a roughly $70 million budget.
City spokesman Thomas Reeves said Modesto does not expect to hire a recruiting firm to help it search for the city’s next police chief.
He said that is in part because under Carroll’s leadership the Police Department has developed a strong culture and a bench of qualified candidates. But Reeves said that does not mean candidates from outside of the department cannot apply. He said there is no timeline yet for when the recruitment will start and how long it will take.
Carroll said Wednesday the department would be in good hands if Gillespie were to become the permanent chief. But Carroll stressed the department also has other highly qualified candidates for the position.
Gillespie, 44, has served as assistant chief since October 2019. The city manager’s announcement said Gillespie has a bachelor’s in criminal justice from San Diego State University and a master’s in leadership from Grand Canyon University. He has held the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant and captain.
Gillespie said he considers Modesto his hometown. He said his family moved here from the Bay Area when he was a year old. His entire career in law enforcement has been with Modesto.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to serve as interim,” he said, adding he will apply for the permanent job when it becomes available.
Carroll, 50, has been a police officer for 27 years, the first 20 with the Long Beach Police Department before becoming Modesto’s chief in January 2013. He has said it simply was time to retire and that he will continue to live in Modesto and be part of the community.
He has earned praise for strengthening the department’s relationships with all of Modesto’s communities, for his willingness to meet with residents and groups that may be wary of law enforcement, and for speaking candidly about the department’s decisions and actions.
