Pinellas Park Police Chief Adam Geissenberger is retiring after 26 years with the Florida department, city officials have announced.
Geissenberger informed city leaders and police staff of his decision, bringing to a close a career that began in 2000. He was appointed chief in June 2023 after serving in a series of roles across the department.
Michael Linquist, currently the department’s deputy chief, has been named interim chief by city manager Bart Diebold while Pinellas Park searches for a permanent successor.
Michael Linquist named interim police chief
Diebold paid tribute to Geissenberger’s contribution to the force and the wider community, saying the outgoing chief had “left his mark all over this police department”.
The city manager said officials hoped to appoint a permanent chief who shared Geissenberger’s commitment to the department, its officers and the people of Pinellas Park. No further details about the recruitment process have been released.
Geissenberger said the department had been his “professional home” for more than a quarter of a century, adding that the greatest reward of public service had been working alongside colleagues committed to something greater than themselves.
During his time with Pinellas Park Police Department, Geissenberger worked in every section of the organisation. His experience included patrol, investigations, youth services, school resource policing, professional standards and records, as well as a decade with the Tampa Bay Multi-Agency Gang Task Force.
He holds master’s degrees in criminal justice and public administration from Troy University and graduated from the 266th session of the FBI National Academy. He also completed senior leadership and chief executive programmes run by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Geissenberger graduated from Leadership Pinellas in 2021 and received the Pinellas Park Chamber of Commerce President’s Award in 2025. The city has not announced when his retirement will formally take effect or when the search for a permanent police chief will conclude.
