Boise City Council confirms new police chief, who is called ‘perfect choice’ by mayor
Ryan Lee will be Boise’s new police chief starting July 1 after the Boise City Council confirmed him to the role Tuesday.
Lee, an assistant chief with the Portland Police Bureau, replaces Bill Bones, who retired from the job in October after 27 years with the department.
The City Council unanimously confirmed Lee, who attended its meeting virtually.
The new chief was one of two finalists, along with Joseph Chacon, an assistant chief for the Austin, Texas, Police Department. Lee, a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, Sacramento, and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University.
Mayor Lauren McLean said she chose Lee for the job because of his commitment to ensuring a safe city and because he is “excited to join our community.”
“He’s the perfect choice for this city,” she said.
Lee acknowledged the “national narrative surrounding policing,” but said he believed Boise to be a stable department that’s “well-known for its community policing approach.”
“It will be a privilege to lead this organization to sustain strong successes in community policing in growing with an expanding city,” he told the council after he was confirmed.
Lee is billed on the Portland police website as a “national subject matter expert in policing large-scale events and public order policing” with a background in homeland security, terrorism and intelligence.
Portland has come under fire in recent days for the way its police bureau has handled large demonstrations following the death of George Floyd. The city’s police chief stepped down Monday.
Police last week used tear gas and “an ear-piercing warning alarm,” according to The Oregonian, to try to clear protesters, which led to a federal lawsuit, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. A federal judge also recently allowed a lawsuit alleging excessive force against demonstrators in an August 2018 rally to go forward.
BPD Deputy Chief Ron Winegar has served as the department’s acting chief since April 24. Before Winegar’s appointment, Mike Masterson, who served as Boise’s police chief from 2004 to 2014, served as acting chief after Bones retired.
This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 6:28 PM.
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