Scott Loughner, a veteran of the Downey Police Department, is now the permanent head of the city’s law enforcement agency after serving a stint as interim chief.

Downey announced Loughner’s official appointment in a Thursday news release. Loughner took over as acting police chief in March after his predecessor, Leslie Murray, retired.

“We are thrilled to welcome Scott Loughner as our new chief of police,” Downey Mayor Mario Trujillo said in the news release. “He has demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout his career and shares our community’s integrity, service and safety values.”

Loughner joined the DPD in 1999 as a police officer recruit, the announcement said, and graduated from the Orange County Sheriff’s Police Academy the following year.

Throughout his career, Loughner has worked his way up the Police Department’s ranks, working at different times as a sergeant, lieutenant and captain.

“His leadership has been instrumental in implementing programs,” the city’s announcement said, “such as a new centralized digital evidence storage system, a facility dog program, and a school resource officers program.”

Loughner has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Cal State Fullerton and a master’s in emergency services administration from Cal State Long Beach. He has also completed several executive development and leadership programs, the city said.

“I am honored to serve the Downey community as chief of police,” Loughner said. “My commitment is to work closely with our officers, professional staff, city leaders and community members to ensure Downey remains safe to live, work and visit.”

Loughner will have a monthly salary of $22,014.70, or around $264,000 per year, according to the city.