MARION — After 36 years in law enforcement, Police Chief John Garcia’s January retirement is drawing near.

Garcia originally announced his retirement in a February Selectmen’s meeting, where said that it was a privilege to serve as a chief in a community that he knew so well. 

"It has been an honor to serve this community alongside the men and women of the Marion Police Department," Garcia said in a press release from the department. "We have endured many weather-related events, a pandemic and more, and it has been through their continuous cooperation and support that we have been able to get through all that we have to this point. I hope that they will continue to believe in the goodness of the profession we have all chosen, and take pride in what they do each day within the community."

Garcia began his career at the Chatham Police Department in 1984. Two years later, he began his tenure as a police officer with the Marion Police Department.

He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2000, and was appointed as the first lieutenant in the history of the department in 2004. In 2018, he took over as Marion Police Chief. 

After one of the highway murder victims was found along Route 195 in Marion in the late-1980s, Garcia used his skills as a certified diver to search for evidence in a drainage ditch. His picture from that search has been included in two books, "Shallow Graves" by Maureen Boyle and "Killing Season" by Carlton Smith.

He was also part of the formation of the Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council search and rescue team and served as the unit commander for 12 years.

"The search and rescue team provided me with some of the most meaningful and satisfying moments of my career," Garcia said. "The overwhelming sense of accomplishment and satisfaction can't be described after finding someone who was lost in the woods and would not have survived if they hadn't been found by the team. There were also several cases where firearms were recovered due to the efforts of the search team. The recovery of items like this is important to provide evidence as well as to ensure they don't end up in the wrong hands."

As Chief, he also serves on the Plymouth County Outreach Advisory Board.

"I am proud to have been part of such a worthwhile organization made up of so many caring and dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to assist those in our communities with substance use disorders, along with their families,” Garcia said. “The work of this group has become ever so important in the unique times we have faced in 2020."

Under the chief’s leadership, Marion adopted the Handle With Care program promoted by the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office.

Through the Handle With Care model, when Marion police officers respond to an incident where a school-aged child may have been a victim or a witness, they notify the school of the child's name and advise the school to "handle with care." No further information is given to school officials. Teachers and staff are notified so that they can monitor the affected child and prepare to offer additional support or referrals for additional services as needed.

"Chief Garcia has been a tremendous leader for the department and we thank him for his work as Chief, as well as his service during his previous 30-plus years as a member of the department," Town Administrator James McGrail said in the press release. "The advancement and growth of the department under his leadership has helped to ensure that the Marion Police Department is a modern agency that is ready and able to meet the needs of its community. We wish him all the best and hope that he enjoys a healthy and happy retirement."