After a successful 30-year career with the Hollywood Police Department, Assistant Chief of Police Thomas Demmery has retired. He was recognized for his years of service by the Hollywood Commission during a recent meeting.
“I loved being a police officer and serving the people of Hollywood,” said Demmery. “I like the excitement. I enjoyed working in personnel for four years, where I was involved in hiring more than 80 police officers including Chief Chris O’Brien, and I liked working in traffic homicide for five years. It was a challenging job and I enjoyed the science involved.”
Demmery said he would recommend a career in law enforcement to a younger person. “There is always something unexpected and you have a chance to make a difference. There are a lot of different things you can do in a law enforcement career,” he said. “I like catching the bad guys.”
Demmery developed his interest in law enforcement when he became involved in the Police Explorers. For about three years, he would ride with the police officers as an observer. He then worked as a parking enforcement officer for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, which led him to pursue a career as a police officer.
Now 52, Demmery is looking forward to taking few months off and then deciding what his next step will be. He loves cycling and will spend more time doing that. “I will see what opportunities are available,” he said. “I want to get re-energized and do some traveling. I was blessed with a great 30-year career.”
