Chief Mike Loux is putting an end date on his time at the top of the Largo Police Department, announcing that he plans to retire on January 28, 2027, after a 35-year run with the agency. Until then, he is staying put in the chief’s chair while the city searches for his successor, a move meant to keep the department steady through the transition.
In a Facebook post, the Largo Police Department confirmed Loux’s retirement date and emphasized that he will continue serving as chief while the city conducts a comprehensive recruitment process to select the department’s next leader. Largo Police Department Separately, city communications and the e-newsletter Largo Today have laid out his rise in the department, noting he started his career as a telecommunicator in 1992 before becoming a sworn officer in 1995.
From Call Taker To Chief
Largo’s city communications detail a long climb through the ranks for Loux. He began with the department as a telecommunicator in 1992 and was sworn in as a police officer in 1995, later serving as deputy chief starting in March 2017 before being appointed chief in June 2023. According to the City of Largo e-newsletter, he is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, holds a master’s degree from Bethel University, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. Largo Today highlighted those details when he was elevated to the top job.
How The Handoff Will Work
The department’s announcement stresses that Loux will remain on duty while city officials run what they describe as a comprehensive recruitment process, giving Largo time to vet candidates and plan for an orderly change in leadership. By the time his retirement becomes official on January 28, 2027, Loux will have logged 35 years with the Largo Police Department, according to the agency’s Facebook post. Largo Police Department
Part Of A Bigger Regional Shakeup
Loux’s long runway to retirement comes as other major police agencies in the Tampa Bay area prepare for their own leadership changes. Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw has announced he will retire on June 9, 2026, and plans to take a teaching position at the University of South Florida, according to WUSF. For Largo residents, the department’s Facebook post remains the primary public notice of Loux’s plans, with city leaders expected to roll out more details on the recruitment and selection timeline in the coming weeks.
