Livingston Police Chief Chuck Hale dies from medical complications, department says
The Livingston Police Department announced in a social media post Wednesday that Chief Chuck Hale, who was appointed to the position of Police Chief in August, has died.
According to the police department, Hale passed away Tuesday evening from medical complications.
Hale, who had more than two decades of law enforcement service, stepped in as interim chief while serving as a Lieutenant with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office in 2021 following the Livingston City Council’s dismissal of John Markle, who served just six months as chief.
“The loss of Chief Hale has left a void in our community that will be incredibly challenging to fill,” read a Livingston Police Department Facebook post. “His legacy will remain with us forever, and we will continue to honor him by upholding the values and principles he stood for.”
In another post, the Livingston Police Department shared comments by city and community leaders regarding Hale’s passing.
“Chief Hale came to Livingston and immediately began implementing changes to improve policing and connection with residents during a transformative time,” said Livingston Mayor Jose Moran, according to the Livingston Police Department Facebook post. “His imprint in our community will remain for years to come, and we are extremely thankful for his law enforcement service to the community.”
According to the department’s post, Hale understood the importance of collaborative partnerships between law enforcement agencies and led efforts allowing regional access to the City’s Firearms Training Range Facility to police agencies. The department said Hale was a supporter of training and employee development.
“I will sincerely miss brainstorming with Chief Hale about improving the Livingston Police Department, and discussing how to maximize employee growth and development,” said City of Livingston Interim City Manager Christopher Lopez, according to the police department’s Facebook post. “It was not uncommon for members of the police department to let me know how appreciative they were of Chief Hale’s leadership style and commitment to the men and women of the Livingston Police Department—he had a strong commitment to public service policing.”
According to the police department, Hale brought advancements to the department such as modernizing equipment and implementing technology used to improve policing in the region.
“Chief Hale will be remembered as a leader dedicated to public service,” said Livingston Mayor Pro Tim Gurpal Samra according to the post. “Chief Hale’s ability to connect with residents, businesses, and the community has set the standard for future chiefs in the Livingston community.”
