Police Chief Grimaldi takes new job in Florida

Police Chief Thomas Grimaldi is leaving the Bristol Police Department to take a new job in Florida.
Grimaldi, who has served the Bristol Police Department for almost 27 years now, said he has been selected as the new Chief of Police in Port Orange, Fla. According to a statement recently made by City Manager Jake Johansson on Port Orange’s Facebook page, Grimaldi’s selection is “tentative pending a background review.” The timing of his departure has not yet been determined.
Grimaldi was chosen out of 119 candidates by three review panels that included a former police chief, city staff and citizens of Port Orange. He will replace Port Orange’s Chief of Police Gerald Monahan Jr., who is retiring in November after serving the community for 16 years.
At this time, Grimaldi said he is not ready to comment further about his new job, but called the new transition “bittersweet.” The city will name an acting police chief after Grimaldi leaves.
“I love the Bristol community,” said Grimaldi, who was born and raised in Bristol.
Serving as police chief since December 2012, Grimaldi is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. His professional memberships include the International Chiefs of Police Association, the New England Chiefs of Police Association and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.
“He is very community oriented, a veteran of a similar sized police force and community,” stated Johansson in the Facebook post.