Racine Police Chief Maurice Robinson has submitted his resignation to the Fire and Police Commission, effective July 14.
Chief Robinson, who assumed the role on May 10, 2021, previously served with the Cincinnati Police Department. During his tenure, he implemented strategies to address the national trend of increasing gun violence and recruited new officers to alleviate the department’s significant vacancy rate.
In a statement, Chief Maurice Robinson expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve the Racine Police Department and the City of Racine, considering it the highlight of his law enforcement career.
“Serving the Racine Police Department and the City of Racine has been the high point of my career in law enforcement,” he said. “I will forever be grateful for having had the experience of being a member of The Racine Police Department.”
Challenging last two years
Robinson came to the department as the city struggled with higher incidents of violence, staffing shortages, and a union contract that took two years to settle.
Earlier this year, the department had 196 police personnel budgeted by the city, but the number of sworn officers stood at 158. However, RPD recently reported that 20 of those officers are not able to respond to calls for service because of training or light-duty assignments due to injury. RPD has also had a number of officers retire or leave for jobs with other law-enforcement agencies over the past several months.
In response to the tight staffing, Robinson reworked its service plan to guide its response priorities. Public safety and serious crimes – related to bodily injury or public safety – will continue to receive top priority. However, police are giving a lower priority to complaints such as loud music, barking dogs or parking issues.
Mayor Cory Mason acknowledged Chief Robinson’s service to the city and extended well wishes for his future plans.
What’s next
The Fire and Police Commission will convene in the coming days to appoint an interim chief and initiate the search process for a new permanent Chief of Police. Chief Robinson’s last day in office will be Friday, July 14.
Racine Police & Fire
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