Boise has its new police chief. City officials announced the hire Monday
Nearly eight months after Boise Police Chief Bill Bones retired, the city has named the new head of the department.
The city announced Monday the Boise Police Department’s new chief is Ryan Lee, an assistant chief at the Portland (Oregon) Police Bureau. Lee was one of two finalists for the job, along with Joseph Chacon, an assistant chief for the Austin (Texas) Police Department.
Lee will begin his role as police chief starting July 1.
According to the city, both candidates were interviewed via video by different groups, including local law enforcement officials, two community panels and a Boise Police Department panel.
“We are excited to welcome Chief Lee to Boise. After conducting a nationwide search for the right fit, we are confident in his abilities to lead the Boise Police Department,” said Boise Mayor Lauren McLean in a news release. “His leadership is welcome now more than ever during this challenging time. His commitment to public safety and approach to accountability, transparency, and community engagement fit so well with what residents expect of their police department. We know he will be a great, inspirational leader to the team of police professionals Boise is lucky to have.”
In Portland, Lee oversees the service branch of the department, which includes the records, personnel and training divisions, according to the department’s website.
Lee joined the Portland Police Bureau in 2000, and held a variety of positions before he was appointed to head the department’s service branch in June 2019.
According to Lee’s biography on the Portland police website, he is a national expert on “policing large-scale events and public order policing.” Lee is a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in criminal justice.
“It is a true honor to be selected to be the next chief of the Boise Police Department,” Lee said in the release. “I look forward to working collaboratively with the people of Boise to come up with impactful solutions for the community and public safety.”
In April, Lee and Chacon were announced as the two finalists for the job. The announcement meant that two other candidates — Ron Winegar, deputy chief at BPD, and Alice Fulk, assistant chief of the Little Rock (Arkansas) Police Department — were no longer in the running for the job.
Winegar has served as the BPD’s acting chief since April 24. Before to Winegar’s appointment, Mike Masterson, who served as Boise’s police chief from 2004 to 2014, served as acting chief when Bones retired.
Lee is set to be confirmed by the Boise City Council during a meeting set for June 9.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 2:14 PM.
