Edinburg Police Chief Jaime Ayala announced his retirement from the Edinburg Police Department, effective Oct. 30.

Ayala took over the department in October 2021 and will wrap up five years of leadership before heading back to North Texas to be with his family.

"Serving as police chief in the city where I grew up has been the absolute honor of my career," Ayala said. "I am deeply grateful to the city leadership, our officers, staff and the community for their unwavering support over the past five years. As I prepare to return to North Texas to spend cherished time with my family, I leave knowing that the Edinburg Police Department is stronger, safer and positioned for continued excellence."

Ayala's connection to Edinburg runs deep. He graduated from Edinburg High School in 1983 and started his career in public service as a volunteer reserve officer and dispatcher for the same department he would later lead.

Before returning to Edinburg, Ayala spent 32 years with the Arlington Police Department, where he rose to assistant police chief.

During his time leading a force of 266 officers and professional personnel, Ayala launched several programs aimed at modernizing the department and strengthening community ties.

Those programs included the Rio Grande Valley's first operational drone program, a Business Watch Program that partnered with local business owners to deter crime and a Dog Walker Watch initiative that encouraged residents to serve as extra eyes and ears for law enforcement.

The department also launched a "Make a Plan" campaign focused on reducing drunk driving across the city.

The city of Edinburg said information about transitional leadership and the search for the next police chief will be released in the coming weeks.