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Valley Police Chief Tommy Weldon announced his retirement on Tuesday after 36 years of serving in law enforcement. Weldon’s retirement will be effective Oct. 1, according to a press release from Mayor Leonard Riley announcing the news.

Weldon began his law enforcement as a patrol officer with the Valley Police Department in February 1985. He served in the patrol division and criminal investigation division achieving the rank of lieutenant while in CID. Weldon was accepted to attend the F.B.I. National Academy in Quantico, Virginia and graduated in December 1997.

Weldon was promoted to Captain in July 1998 and assigned as project director/commander of the Chambers County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force. During his service with the Drug Task Force, Weldon completed the Drug Unit Commander’s Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Weldon was appointed as Chief of Police of the Valley Police Department in October 2005. Weldon was hired by Chambers County Sheriff Sid Lockhart as chief deputy with the Chambers County Sheriff’s Department in August 2007. Weldon was reappointed as chief of police of the Valley Police Department in July 2009, the position he currently holds.

“I am very thankful for the opportunities I have been given to serve the citizens of Valley, Chambers County, and the surrounding areas,” Weldon said. “I plan to stay connected to my brothers and sisters in law enforcement and support them anyway I can.”

”As the Mayor of the City of Valley I want to thank Chief Weldon for his many years of dedication and great leadership to the City of Valley and our citizens,” Riley said. “Congratulations on a job well done and retirement well deserved.”