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EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY |
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CONTACT: |
Marta Gronlund, 425-556-2427 |
| March 18, 2009 |
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At last night's Redmond City Council meeting, Mayor John
Marchione and Redmond City Councilmembers honored Police Chief Steve
Harris, who is retiring at the end of this month after 28 years of
service to the Redmond community. Since the Chief's retirement
was announced in January, the Mayor has been meeting with Police
Department command staff to better understand the department's
strengths and challenges to help inform what the community needs in
its next Chief.
"Public safety is one of our citizens' top priorities, as identified
in our Budgeting-by-Priorities process last year," remarked Mayor
Marchione. "We as a community thank Chief Harris for his
remarkable service and see this change as an opportunity to
thoughtfully assess community and department needs going forward."
To help with the transition to a new Police Chief, Mayor Marchione
has asked Fire Chief Tim Fuller to serve as Transition Team Leader
to guide this assessment and oversee the department in the interim.
Chief Fuller's efforts will be focused on working with Police staff,
other City departments and the community to identify what the City
needs for its next Police Chief, including a public process to
engage citizens for their input. This is consistent with the
Mayor's goals to identify a transition leader from outside the
department who will not be a candidate for Police Chief, but who
knows the City and has the demonstrated ability to manage positive
change and build organizational capacity for leadership.
As Chief Fuller steps up to assist with these efforts, he has named
Deputy Chief Bob Oliver to lead the Fire Department in the
intervening period. Chief Fuller joined the City in February
2005, after serving with the Saint Paul, Minnesota Fire Department
for 32 years.
"I'm pleased to assist the Mayor, the department and the community
in assessing future leadership needs," remarked Chief Tim Fuller.
"Redmond Police Department has an excellent track record and I look
forward to working closely with Police staff and others during the
transition."
According to Mayor Marchione, Chief Fuller will have decision-making
authority over the Police Department during the transition period.
He will have the ability to delegate operational management to the
degree he deems appropriate to successfully continue the excellent
service to the community that the Redmond Police Department
currently provides. Beyond the day-to-day operations, his
focus will be working with the Mayor, the department and the
community to identify the City's needs for its next Police Chief.
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