Richard Muñoz is South Tucson’s new Chief of Police.
Muñoz took the interim position in August after the retirement of Chief
Sharon Hayes-Martinez was announced for Sept. 30. She is on
administrative leave until that date.
Muñoz is no stranger to local law enforcement. The Tucson native spent
26 years with the Tucson Police Department, working as a motorcycle
officer and as an officer in the Planning and Research Unit. In 2002,
he retired from TPD and joined the South Tucson Police Department.
Muñoz left STPD in 2007 to work as a criminal investigator for the Pima County Public Defender's Office but returned to the department in 2008.
“I learned from the public defender’s [office] but I missed police work,” he said.
Muñoz was a sergeant until his recent appointment as interim chief.
Chief Sharon Hayes-Martinez has been with STPD for more than 20 years.
