The City of Napa appointed Sylvia M. Moir as the City’s interim police chief by a unanimous vote of the City Council on February 16. A California native with more than 30 years of local police experience, Moir will start with Napa on February 22.
Moir will serve as the interim police chief while the City conducts a formal recruitment process to identify Napa’s next permanent Chief of Police, a process which could take up to 6 -7 months.
“I am humbled and grateful to serve the City of Napa Police Department and the community while they search for a permanent chief to fill the role,” Moir said. “I am equally confident that my enthusiasm and experience in municipal policing will support and advance the service that the men and women of the Napa Police Department provide as they safeguard the community.”
Moir has had an extensive public service tenure, and has a decade of experience as police chief between her time at two organizations. She served as the Chief of the El Cerrito California Police Department from 2010 until 2016. Then, was appointed as the police chief in Tempe, Arizona. She retired in October 2020.
Prior to this, Moir spent the majority of her career with the Sacramento Police Department, where she served in every division of the department. Additionally, she worked as the Incident Commander on hundreds of planned and spontaneous events, a trainer in several policing subjects and acted as a member of the Sacramento Police Honor Guard. Notably, Moir has also completed rigorous training with the U.S. Army Old Guard at Fort Myer, Virginia and Arlington National Cemetery.
Since retiring, Moir has served as the principal of the Macrae Group, specializing in public safety, tactics and education, the chair of the Community Policing Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, an advisor for WRAP Technologies, a member of the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force and is an executive fellow for the Police Foundation. She was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve on the California Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission for two terms, was on the Executive Board of the Arizona and California Associations of Chiefs of Police and is a past president of the Police Executive Research Forum.
“Throughout the assessment process, Sylvia Moir demonstrated that she is a knowledgeable, passionate and dynamic public servant that is ready to assist our community,” said Napa City Manager Steve Potter. “We are confident that Moir will help push forward Napa Police Department’s commitment to integrity and professionalism as well as provide stable leadership while we work through this transitional period.”
Moir earned a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from California State University, Sacramento, a Master of Arts in organizational management and a Master of Science from the Naval Postgraduate School - Center for Homeland Defense and Security.