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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Three seek police chief job

Spokane Valley will pick one of three longtime Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies as its new police chief in the coming weeks.

City Manager Dave Mercier said recently he hopes to hire a chief sometime next month.

He will choose from candidates submitted by Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich after the city’s first police chief, Cal Walker, announced his resignation in October following an unsuccessful campaign for sheriff.

Mercier said he’s looking for someone familiar with modern policing strategies, including experience with specialty police teams, property crimes and drug issues.

He’s also looking for someone who can manage the department’s resources.

“We’re talking about a $15 million per year operation,” he said.

Spokane Valley uses about a fourth of its entire budget to pay for roughly 100 sheriff’s deputies to police the Valley under a contract.

Because of the nature of the Spokane Valley police force, the chief also has to serve as a liaison between the police department, Sheriff’s Office and City Council.

Each candidate is a lifelong county resident and all three have spent their entire law enforcement careers at the Sheriff’s Office.

All hold or will be promoted to the rank of captain.

Jim Goodwin

Home: North Spokane County

Family: Two children

Education: Associate degree in law enforcement, Spokane Community College

Years with Sheriff’s Office: 28

As the head of the sheriff’s major crimes unit, Goodwin oversees high-profile cases and has worked in investigations for the last 17 years.

His experience also includes work with property crimes, the regional drug task force, explosives disposal and on patrol.

With a limited number of detectives, he said, he would look to analyses of criminal activity and assign detectives accordingly.

Much of that information comes from volunteers with SCOPE, a neighborhood policing group, and other programs.

“I see that as a huge priority as far as fostering that community involvement,” he said.

Goodwin said drugs and the crimes that go with them are probably the biggest criminal problems facing the region.

He said existing police practices to fight them in the Valley are on track, particularly those that are information- and community-oriented.

“I think that we’re heading in the right direction; it’s just a matter of refining those,” he said.

Goodwin said he’s excited at the prospect of a leadership position where he can have more leeway to make changes.

Russ Shane

Home: Liberty Lake

Family: Married, two children

Education: Three years at Kinman Business University and Whitworth College

Years with Sheriff’s Office: 30

As the interim Spokane Valley police chief, Shane oversees policing in an area where he’s patrolled and lived for years.

He’s also worked as a property crimes detective, a canine trainer, patrol supervisor and in internal affairs.

“Patrol means a great deal to me, and I think that’s the backbone of the whole thing,” he said. “I think just being seen out there is a tool.”

In some of the smaller towns, his officers are able to occasionally patrol on foot and talk to business owners – the kind of interaction he would like to encourage in Spokane Valley.

In terms of the chief’s position, Shane said he enjoys the interaction he has with officers and would like to further communication between the City Council, city manager and the sheriff’s office.

“That’s one big partnership, and everybody has got to keep better partnership lines going,” he said.

Most Valley residents have a positive image of law enforcement, Shane said, and he’d like to keep it that way by treating people fairly.

“We’re providing a service, and the service is us,” he said.

Rick Van Leuven

Home: North Spokane County

Family: Married, two children

Education: Associate degree in law enforcement, Spokane Community College

Years with Sheriff’s Office: 26

Van Leuven has experience in several specialty areas and worked most recently as a shift commander in the patrol division.

Earlier in his career, he was the department’s first gang specialist and helped create the gang unit, career criminal unit, fugitive task force and firearms task force.

He also helped implement the department’s property crimes task force and was its first supervisor.

His administrative experience includes preparing budgets for various units and serving as the Spokane Regional Drug Task Force commander for budget and supervision.

Property crimes, identity theft and similar offenses tend to affect the largest number of people, Van Leuven said, and he too supports analyzing crime patterns to help target “quality of life crimes.”

He’d also like to make it easier for residents to report crimes. That includes working to restore Crime Check hours – an idea supported in one form or another by all the candidates.

“The atmosphere that we have for customer service is good,” he said.

Van Leuven said he also wants to focus on keeping city leaders and the public informed on what the department is doing.

“It’s a team approach,” he said.