Longtime Oxnard police Chief Jason Benites will retire in early November, the city announced Sept. 2.
Benites took the job overseeing public safety in Ventura County's largest city during the pandemic in December
2020. Oxnard's 22nd top cop will work his last day Nov. 3, after 33 years in law enforcement, according to a news release from the city.
In the same city announcement, City Manager Alexander Nguyen also named Assistant Chief Rocky Marquez as the next chief of the Oxnard Police Department.
Nguyen thanked Benites for his "steadfast leadership" and "decades of service dedicated to keeping Oxnard safe.”
"We’re fortunate to have strong leadership within our police department, and I am confident that Rocky Marquez will continue the department’s commitment to excellence and service to our community as our next police chief,” the city manager said in the release.
Benites attended the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated from UCLA. He started with the agency's patrol division where he worked in the field and served as a detective.
He made his way up the ranks, getting promoted to the assistant chief post in November 2006. In 2008, he graduated from the California POST Command College for law enforcement leaders.
As chief, Benites said he aimed to build a strong bench of leaders from within the department.
“We have that," he said in the release. "Today, I can confidently say we have the talent, teamwork, vision and drive to ensure a great transition."
Marquez will inherit a safer city. Oxnard,like all cities in Ventura County, has experienced a significant drop in crime.
In 2025, reported violent crime in Oxnard decreased nearly 10% compared to 2023, while property crime fell 13.4% compared to 2024, according to the city.
Oxnard's 23rd chief will oversee a department of 371 employees, including 242 sworn officer positions and 129 full-time professional staff positions.
Marquez was born and raised in Oxnard and Port Hueneme. He graduated from Hueneme High School and began his career with Oxnard police in 2002. Marquez was promoted to assistant chief in 2025.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve as Oxnard’s next police chief and to continue serving the community that raised me and where I have spent my entire law enforcement career,” Marquez said in the news release.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Oxnard police chief to retire in November after decades with agency
