Meet the New Chief: A Glimpse into the Strategy and Vision for Reno Police
In a significant transition, the Reno Police Department welcomes a new chief who brings 27 years of dedicated service to the table. With a focus on evolving practices and fostering public trust, the new chief aims to steer the department in a direction that reflects transparency and community engagement.
How did you rise to the position of chief?
“Why me? That’s kind of a hard question to answer,” the chief reflects. “Selfishly, this is 27 years of my body of work. I’ve worked very hard, albeit within the sheriff’s office, within our legislative and government affairs, within council, within the Washoe County Commission, to make a name for myself, to be a student of the game, to continue to research, to continue to evolve and not be satisfied with the status quo.”
What steps are you taking to rebuild public trust following the previous administration?
The chief emphasizes the importance of supporting officers at the line level: “If something bad is happening at home and that causes them to over or underreact at work, those have huge consequences, right?” To address this, the department has implemented early warning tracking systems to monitor pursuits, uses of force, and citizen complaints. “We continue doing what we’re doing,” the chief notes, highlighting the importance of community service events and transparent communication through public safety briefs.
How are you fostering trust within the department during this leadership change?
“100 percent you have to take care of your people,” the chief insists. This includes ensuring officers are well-trained and mentally prepared. “We have to have a certain degree of empathy and understanding for what they’re going through,” they add, emphasizing the need for accountability and wellness.
What are your priorities as you begin your tenure as chief?
Establishing a strong leadership team is crucial, with the recent appointment of Assistant Chief Garlock. The department is also focused on policy transparency: “Understanding your core transaction, understanding your legal authority, understanding our policies and procedures is very important to me,” the chief states, aiming to make department policies accessible to the public.
What is your position on collaboration with immigration enforcement?
“It’s not a stance, it’s what our legal authority is,” the chief clarifies. “We don’t do immigration enforcement.” The department collaborates with community leaders and organizations to ensure that victims of crime feel safe to report incidents without fear of repercussions related to immigration status. “They are a law enforcement partner, so we do have to collaborate [with] them for access to federal grants and everything else, but we don’t go out actively doing immigration enforcement,” they explain.
