Rodney Cox has been appointed interim police chief by the city of Fountain Valley.
Cox was appointed Jan. 6 following a distinguished 30-year career with the Cypress Police Department. He will serve the city on an interim basis while officials continue their search for a new police chief.
“I’m extremely honored to be here,” Cox said. “It’s always been a dream of mine that once I retired, I could come back and help an agency through the transition process of hiring a new chief.”
Cox is a U.S. Army Military Police Corps veteran who began his career with the Cypress Police Department as a police officer in 1990.
He advanced through the ranks, serving in nearly every assignment and rank within the organization, culminating in his appointment as the 11th chief of police on July 31, 2015. Cox served as police chief for five years before retiring in October 2020.
Cox holds a Bachelor of Science degree from CSULB and a Master of Arts degree in organizational leadership from Brandman University.
While serving Cypress, he was active in the community, serving as a member of the North Orange County Homeless Task Force and as a board member for the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress, Sunburst Youth Academy Foundation and the Cypress Police Foundation.
Cox and his wife, Sheila, have been married for 35 years and are the parents of two daughters. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, hunting, cooking and making ice cream.