San Diego lifeguard chief James Gartland is out of a job after eight years leading the division, and the city has not said why.

Gartland was removed from his position Tuesday, Oct. 6, as first reported by NBC 7 San Diego. City spokesperson Nicole Darling confirmed his departure in an email to the station. The San Diego Union-Tribune also reported the removal.

"I can confirm that James Gartland is no longer an employee of the City of San Diego," Darling told NBC 7, adding that the city cannot comment on personnel matters.

The departure matters beyond San Diego's city limits. San Diego lifeguards patrol miles of coastline south of Carlsbad's beaches, and the two agencies coordinate on ocean rescues along the North County coast. Carlsbad operates its own lifeguard service under the Carlsbad Fire Department, covering the three-quarter-mile stretch of city-owned beach from Oak Avenue to the Oceanside border.

Gartland, who began his lifeguard career 31 years ago, served as marine safety captain before his 2018 promotion to chief. He oversaw a force of about 110 full-time and 200 seasonal lifeguards, according to the Union-Tribune.

Deputy Chief Dan Eddy, a city firefighter since 2000, has been named interim lifeguard chief. Fire Chief Robert Logan announced the change in a letter to all personnel on Tuesday, Oct. 6, stating that the division's organizational structure and operations would remain in place.

No official explanation has emerged. The San Diego City Attorney's Office had no comment. The San Diego County District Attorney's Office told NBC 7 it could not say whether any investigation is open. Connor Robbins, leader of the city's lifeguards union, told the Union-Tribune his group lacked enough information to comment.

Gartland's son, West, spoke to NBC 7 after conferring with his father. "For the family this is a shocking and confusing time," West Gartland said, adding he hopes to better explain the situation in time.

NBC 7 reported that Gartland's absence was noticeable during a mass rescue training exercise off Point Loma. His departure also comes three weeks after San Diego lifeguards signed a new three-year labor contract. The deal includes no pay raises this fiscal year or next, followed by a 9.5% increase in July 2028.

No timeline has been announced for naming a permanent replacement.