Valley gets new top cop
Sheriff’s Lt. Rick Van Leuven will soon take over as Spokane Valley’s new police chief, City Manager Dave Mercier announced Tuesday.
“I’m very honored to be selected,” Van Leuven told the City Council at its regular meeting, “I look forward to working with you as well as all of the management team.”
A 26-year Sheriff’s Office veteran, Van Leuven lives in north Spokane County and previously worked as a shift commander in the patrol division.
He was the department’s first gang specialist and helped create a number of special units, such as the gang unit, career criminal unit, fugitive task force and firearms task force.
After Van Leuven helped start the department’s property crimes task force, he served as its first supervisor.
He has an associate’s degree in law enforcement from Spokane Community College.
When he starts his new job March 16, Van Leuven said, he doesn’t anticipate changing anything right away.
He said he would start by assessing the issues facing the police and the community, and then work with experts in the department to address them.
Van Leuven also has expressed interest in making it easier for residents to report crimes and using crime pattern analysis to assign officers throughout the city.
The other finalists for the chief’s job were Jim Goodwin and Russ Shane. All of the candidates have spent their entire careers at the Sheriff’s Office, and all hold or will be promoted to the rank of captain.
Shane has served as Spokane Valley’s interim police chief since October, when the city’s first chief, Cal Walker, resigned after an unsuccessful run for sheriff.
“I’ve heard good things, but I’ve not had the opportunity to spend any time with (Van Leuven),” said Spokane Valley Mayor Diana Wilhite, adding she’s confident in his ability to understand the city’s needs.
Under its contract for police services with Spokane County, Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich submitted three candidates to the city, and Mercier picked from among them.
The selection process grew contentious as the city asked to expand the search to include candidates outside the Sheriff’s Office, which the sheriff declined to do. The city manager also sought the authority to hire and fire the police chief, which Knezovich opposed because the chief is part of his command staff and runs the entire Sheriff’s Office if he and his undersheriffs are absent.
The chief oversees the city’s complex police contract with the Sheriff’s Office and supervises a department that consumes nearly a quarter of the city budget. He also serves as the liaison between the sheriff, council and the city manager. “I want to make sure we have good, clear communication,” Van Leuven said.