Vallejo Fire Chief Kyle Long is no longer in command of the department, effective immediately, sources with knowledge of the matter told Open Vallejo. In his absence, Interim Police Chief Jason Ta will lead both the fire and police departments.
One source said late Thursday afternoon that Ta’s appointment came as a surprise, adding that fire personnel only learned they would get a new boss “within the last hour.”
Vallejo City Manager Michael Malone declined to comment on the decision Thursday. Neither Long nor Ta immediately responded to requests for comment. The sources who spoke on condition of anonymity did so because they were not authorized to discuss internal personnel matters.
Ta joined the Vallejo Police Department in October 2021 to fill a newly created deputy chief position at the agency. In March of 2022, he allegedly arrived at the scene of a homicide reeking of alcohol, according to an internal memo obtained by Open Vallejo.
Ta’s appointment comes during a kinetic time for Vallejo’s public safety leadership. In February, Open Vallejo reported that Ta planned to resign to become the police chief of Salinas, Calif., but the offer fell through soon after it became public. Last week, Vallejo Deputy Chief Joseph Gomez resigned effective immediately. Veteran police officer and newly-minted captain Robert Knight was appointed to an open deputy chief role earlier this year.
In addition to the police and fire departments, the city itself will soon be run by a temporary appointee. The Vallejo City Council confirmed Beverli Marshall as Interim City Manager Tuesday. She will replace Malone, who announced in October that he will retire as of this month.
