Tim Lyons, longtime public face of the Petaluma Police Department, hangs up his hat

After more than three decades of service to the Petaluma community, Lt. Tim Lyons is retiring, the Petaluma Police Department has announced.

Lyons joined the Petaluma Police Department in April 1990, and in the nearly 33 years since then, gained praise for his achievements in traffic safety, DUI prevention efforts and – as a police lieutenant – for being the department’s primary contact with local news media.

“The retirement of Lt. Tim Lyons will be a tremendous loss of institutional knowledge, experience, and community relationships,” the department stated, “but the legacy he has created through his leadership will guarantee PPD will carry on the tradition of excellence and service to this community.”

City manager Peggy Flynn said the Petaluma community is “forever grateful and forever changed” by Lyons’ commitment to his service.

“We are eternally grateful to Lt. Lyons for his unwavering, passionate, and authentic service to our community,” Flynn said in an emailed statement. “His legacy is reflected in the many officers he mentored and trained, and in the lasting relationships nurtured with our community.”

Lyons started down his career path in 1985, when he joined the Santa Rosa Junior College Campus Police Department as a student officer while working on an associate degree in justice administration.

After completing the associate degree, Lyons transferred to Sacramento State University for a bachelor’s degree. But that didn’t stop him from commuting back and forth to Santa Rosa to continue his duties to the SRJC campus.

He was hired at the Petaluma Police Department shortly after graduating college, and was assigned to the 85th Basic Law Enforcement Academy at Los Guilicos Training Center in Santa Rosa.

He completed field training in the fall of 1990 before working as a patrol officer. Lyons established himself as a “young go-getter” and “quickly developed a reputation as a tenacious crime fighter and community problem solver,” the department said.

“He was always the first to arrive and the last to leave as he served with distinction in a variety of assignments including patrol, investigations, field training officer, bicycle patrol officer, juvenile justice enforcement, recruitment, SWAT, and the communications committee,” the department said. He was promoted to the rank of police sergeant in 1996.

Within his first decade with the department, Lyons helped develop its first ever bicycle patrol team, and later the dual-purpose motorcycle team. He also applied for federal Traffic Safety Grants, used to restore the department’s traffic motorcycle program. This led to him becoming the department’s first motorcycle sergeant in 2002.

Among his responsibilities in the traffic division, Lyons led safety efforts during major city events like Butter and Egg Days, the Veterans Day Parade, the Sonoma-Marin Fair and more. He also supported programs to stop alcohol, tobacco and other substances from getting into the hands of local youth.

In 2007, Lyons received the ABC Award of Excellence for his work combating underage drinking and driving, and a year later was promoted to police lieutenant.

Lyons is also well known for his investigative skills, and helped lead several high-profile cases – including murder and officer-involved shooting cases for other agencies.

During his career Lyons has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, named Officer of the Year, and graduated from the FBI National Academy.

Amelia Parreira is a staff writer for the Argus-Courier. She can be reached at amelia.parreira@arguscourier.com or 707-521-5208.