Former Carlsbad Police Chief Exits Retirement for NCTD Job

Tom Zoll began working as a contractor for the North County Transit District (NCTD) in 2010 when the District faced a projected five-year deficit approaching $80 million.  

Zoll's local law enforcement experience helped the district manage the spending reduction, said Matthew Tucker, chief executive officer of the NCTD. "Tom has brought stability, wisdom and a wealth of knowledge," Tucker said.

"He has already begun transforming our security program by leading the implementation of our code enforcement and our new parking management programs," said Tucker.

According to the NCTD website, "Zoll will receive $136,510.40 annually to oversee fare enforcement, emergency planning, disaster preparedness, homeland security, and the agency’s new initiative to implement new parking policies at NCTD transit centers."

The Union Tribune reported Zoll's new job means he is cut off from the pension he was collecting from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. As interim chielf of NCTD's security Zoll earned $119 an hour, "the agency’s highest hourly wage earner," writes the Aaron Burgin with the U-T, "At the same time, he was drawing a near-$219,000 pension annually. He received the bulk of his retirement pay, about $15,000 a month, from the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association. The rest, about $3,200, came from his time as Carlsbad chief through the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. The county has no rules limiting post-retirement employment at non-county government agencies, so the bulk of Zoll’s pension will be unaffected."

Zoll rose to the post of assistant sheriff in 30 years with the San Diego Sheriff's Department, and was the police chief at the  for several years up until 2010.

–City News Service contributed to this report