OXNARD : Assistant Police Chief to Retire in April

Oxnard Assistant Police Chief Jim Lattimer, Ventura County’s first African American police officer, has announced that he is retiring in April after 29 years of service.

Lattimer, 55, who rose from patrol officer to assistant chief in 19 years, said he felt he had accomplished enough and wanted to spend more time with his family.

He told Oxnard Police Chief Harold Hurtt in September that he had decided to retire, he said, and informed him in December that April was his last month.

“It dawned on me that I had almost 30 years of service, and I wanted to enjoy some of life,” he said. “I’ve done everything here except mess around with (K-9) dogs.”

Born in South Carolina, Lattimer first came to Ventura County in the late 1950s as an Air Force sergeant in Camarillo. After he was released from the service, he settled in Oxnard and worked at Sears and other local businesses.

He joined the Oxnard Police Department in 1966 and soon learned he was Ventura County’s first African American police officer.

“It surprised me,” he said. “You kind of assume that there would be some more black officers by then, but there weren’t. As I went up the ranks, it was the same thing.”

By 1970, Lattimer had been promoted to detective, and soon found himself going undercover for other Southern California police departments because there were virtually no black detectives. He was promoted to sergeant in 1973, lieutenant in 1977 and finally, assistant chief in 1987.

Throughout his career, Lattimer fought for diversity in the police force. He said Oxnard police have made great strides.

Lattimer said he will miss his friends on the force, but is eager to spend more time with his wife of 36 years, Pollie, and visit his four children. His son Randy is an Oxnard police officer.

“It’s kind of a mixture between excited anticipation and anxiety,” Lattimer said. “You develop a strong tie with the community and the officers. But I owe it to my wife and children.”