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Police Chief Mark Kinmon [pictured above and at right] has announced plans to retire from the Asbury Park Police Department effective Jan. 1, 2014.

“After 26 years of doing the same thing, it’s time to move on,” said Kinmon.

While Dec. 31 is his last official day on the job, Kinmon, 45, says he has accumulated about three months worth of leave time which he will start using October 1. At that time, Captain David Kelso will take over as deputy chief, he said.

Originally from Howell, Kinmon joined the county sheriff’s department when he was 20 years old. After two years with the sheriff, he transferred to Asbury Park in March of 1990 as a patrol officer and became chief of police in March of 2007, he said.

“I have been very fortunate to be able to work with the city,” Kinmon said. “All the way around, I’m proud to have been a member of this department.”

Kinmon is also proud to be leaving the department in better shape than it was when he took over, he said.

“I took over at a time of turmoil and instability. I brought professionalism, courtesy, calmness, continuity and stability – all the things that build success,” he said.

Over the last 5 or 6 years Kinmon tried to advance the dept in terms of technology, he said. Under his tenure the department was able to add video cameras on the streets as well as computers and cameras inside each patrol car, he said. The department also made the switch from an in-house dispatch to a county run system.

“There were a lot of challenges and a lot of difficult times, but you can’t exist without challenges,” Kinmon said. “Looking back, it molds you into a better person. The memories I will take are all positive. I met a lot of wonderful people, too.”

Kinmon plans to stay local, but says he doesn’t have any immediate plans for his retirement other than spending some time with his wife, Karen.

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