Former Carmel police chief Paul Tomasi is being welcomed back to the village, after retiring from the post two years ago to head up security at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. He's returning as Carmel's director of public safety on Dec. 1.
Tomasi was well liked as the town's police chief, a role he held from 2017-2021, and many were sorry to see him go. The city conducted a nationwide search to find his permanent replacement, hiring Alan Ward from the Merced Police Department in June 2022.
Ward lasted all of around seven months, until December, after which he was placed on administrative leave for reasons the city has never made public. He retired from the position on June 16 of this year, and took a job in July working for the Naval Support Activity Monterey Police Department.
City Administrator Chip Rerig announced Tomasi's return on Oct. 20, during a weekly newsletter vlog he does every Friday, posted to YouTube.
"I want to put a shout out and thank you to the Aquarium for stewarding his sabbatical the last two years and really welcome him back," Rerig said, adding a thank you to interim Chief Jeffrey Watkins for his "fantastic job."
Tomasi will be working with Watkins over the next month, Rerig said, preparing for his return.
"He knows what the hot topics are, [police building] remodel, staff retention, leadership, succession planning," Rerig said. "He's going to obviously fit seamlessly back into our enterprise. Thank you, Paul, for coming back. I'm really, really grateful."