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After two years as Albemarle police chief and 26 in law enforcement, David Dulin announced his retirement Tuesday.

“I met with the Police Department command staff this morning to advise them of the retirement and how we move forward when a Department Head is no longer in place and what specifically we will be doing in this situation,” City Manager Michael Ferris said Wednesday.

After the meeting, Ferris sent the following email, which he forwarded to The Stanly News & Press upon request:

“I want to make everyone aware that Chief Dulin has decided to retire. Chief Dulin has served the Department for many years and accomplished a great deal over his career. This is a significant event for both Chief Dulin and the City. I wish him well as he enters a new phase of his life and explores new activities.

“Moving forward, I have hired an Interim Chief to assist until we find a permanent replacement as Chief of Police. Utilizing someone from the outside as interim is something that has served the City well recently and we have done this in the Fire Department, Finance Department and the Public Housing Department. An interim will help keep operations moving in a positive manner. They are able to share their knowledge and experience with us and be a tremendous resource in many ways.

“David Poston will begin serving as Interim Chief on June 21. Interim Chief Poston has a long career in law enforcement with over 28 years of progressively responsible experience. He served the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in a multitude of roles including – Detective, Detective Sergeant for Internal Affairs, Commander of the Independence Division, Commander of the Criminal Investigations Bureau, and Commander for Field Operations. Not only does he possess the law enforcement experience, but he is very knowledgeable and skilled in organizational oversight and personnel relations and management.  He has most recently worked for another NC municipality providing assistance on special initiatives such as evidence expansion and policy review.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from NC State University.

“As we progress though the search process to find our next Chief of Police, I will provide a schedule of days and times I am available to hear from you. As I have offered before, I would like to hear from anyone who wants to share their thoughts regarding the direction of the Albemarle Police Department: ideas, observations, and knowledge, skills, and abilities that are critical for our next Chief of Police.

“Finally, I know this is quite a bit all at once.  Change can always present challenges, but it also presents opportunities.  This is an opportunity to reset the department and ensure that we maintain APD’s stated commitment to:

• Protect life and property.
• Respect and protect the rights and dignity of all persons
• Conduct all citizen contacts with courtesy and compassion.
• Maintain excellence in police services through training, technology, and innovation.
• Recognize our inter-dependent relationship with Albemarle communities and remain sensitive citizens’ priorities and needs.
• Enforce the law impartially.
• Provide police services with fairness, compassion, and excellence.

“Thank you for all you do every day to serve our organization and most importantly to serve the citizens of our community.”

Dulin did not wish to provide comment for this story.

Dulin, who had been captain, assumed the role of chief April 29, 2019, following the retirement of Danny Bowen.

“Having served this community for 24 years, I have seen many changes occur in the police field,” Dulin said at the time. “My goal is to create a stronger, positive bond with the community that we serve, and lead the department into a 21st-century strategy of policing.”