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Wayne Torpy, Los Alamos’ police chief for the past eight years, announced his impending retirement Monday afternoon. Torpy who suffered a stroke several months ago and then later underwent open heart surgery, cited the after effects of his medical ordeal as the motivation behind his decision to retire.

“My health is not what it was a year ago, and for the good of the county, for the good of the department and for my personal well-being I had to take a hard look at everything,” Torpy said. “After 36 years in law enforcement, the signals are telling me it’s time to move along.”

During his time at the helm of the LAPD, Torpy oversaw the construction of the Los Alamos Justice Center, gained accreditation for the department, and restructured the ranks to flatten the management structure.

Torpy characterized the decision to retire as “the hardest decision I made in my life.”

Torpy plans to stay on through the summer, and though he has not set a specific date yet, he believes his last day on the job will come some time in the fall.

Torpy said he was willing and able to help County Administrator Harry Burgess to find a replacement if he needed his help. It is not known when the county will begin a search for a new chief.