CLEVELAND – Cleveland Police Chief John Foster has announced his upcoming retirement.
Foster handed in his retirement letter, which will be effective Dec. 28, to a surprised city council Monday night.
Foster has been top cop in Cleveland for the past 18 years.
Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Foster said no one thing led him to decide to retire, but he admitted that he has had some health issues and one bad scare recently.
“That made me realize that I need some time for me,” Foster said.
Foster reflected on the past 23 years.
“I came here 23 years ago looking for a home as a working man and a police officer, and I found a home, and I found a group of people that were remarkable to work for, absolutely remarkable,” Foster said. “The whole council, mayors that I’ve worked for has been wonderful. But you know it comes a time when you know it’s time to go home and cut the grass and I’m ready to go home and find out what it's like to cut the grass on Wednesday instead of Saturday or Sunday. It’s been good, it’s been fun.”
Foster started with the department as a patrol officer and worked his way up the ranks before being named chief in 2002, he served as interim chief prior to that.
Foster said even if he had not been named chief, he would have stayed with the department.
“Me becoming chief, that was just a bonus,” Foster said. “It had nothing to do with whether I would stay or not because it has to do with the quality of people I work for and the quality of our citizens.”
The council was taken by surprise by Foster's announcement and did not comment on what the next step would be.
The council did go into a planned closed session and added personnel as a top to be discussed after Foster’s announcement. Following closed session, the council took no action and make no announcement.
