They came to say farewell.
Former leaders of Harlingen Police Department are sending well wishes to retiring Police Chief Danny Castillo.
After nearly 25 years with the department, Castillo retired amid controversial circumstances.
A letter from the chief published in a local newspaper pointed to it being a forced decision, blaming some city officials with his departure.
On this day, it was all smiles and some tears as the chief received a grand sendoff.
“Seeing the different faces in the crowd, past bosses of mine and people that have influenced my career, it was overwhelming," Castillo said.
Several police chief's that served before him praised Castillo for his commitment to the Harlingen community and his hard work which moved him up the ranks.
"My plans, I don't know exactly what they are right now, but I hope to be active in this community to help in some way or another," Castillo said when asked about what he plans to do next.
In regards to the controversy which surrounded his resignation and has followed him since, Castillo said there's nothing more to say.
"You can't necessarily control what other people do or what happens to you sometimes, but you can control how you respond to it," he said.
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