Caldwell Police Chief Frank Wyant retires, remembered for making city ‘a safer place’
After over 30 years of service in the city, Caldwell Police Chief Frank Wyant is retiring.
Wyant has held multiple positions within the Caldwell Police Department before his eventual rise to chief, according to a news release from the city. The California native first moved to the state to attend the College of Idaho and began working for the department in 1991
During his career, Wyant worked in patrol, was a member of the SWAT team and began the first K-9 program at the Caldwell Police Department, according to the release. He also worked as a school resource officer and in the investigation division.
“Over the years he has consistently dedicated his time, effort and substantial skill to make Caldwell a safer place to live,” according to the release.
This announcement comes as the Caldwell Police Department has recently come under scrutiny by the FBI.
An officer, Lt. Joseph A. “Joey” Hoadley was charged with striking someone and depriving him of his constitutional right to be free from unreasonable force on March 25. The city has previously said Wyant is not the subject of the investigation.
Wyant was appointed to police chief in 2015, after he moved up the ranks as a lieutenant in the investigations division for five years and a captain for eight years, according to the release.
Since Wyant became police chief, the crime rate has dropped in Caldwell, even as the population rose, according to city data. From 2017 to 2019, the police department also hired six additional officers, according to the data.
In the last five years, the number of criminal offenses has maintained a low average with only a minor increase in 2018, according to the Crime in Idaho reports prepared by the Idaho State Police.
Wyant was also praised for his high level of community policing, social media support and continued support from the community, according to the release. Additionally, the department’s clearance rate — when an arrest is made — has been at a high rate under Wyant’s leadership, according to the city.
Data provided by Idaho State Police shows the department’s clearance rate took a sharp decline in 2015 from 62% to 53% in 2016. Since then, the clearance rate has steadily been on the rise, with 56% clearance rate in 2019. It dropped again in 2020 to 51% — lower than it was when Wyant was appointed — likely due to COVID-19.
“Caldwell wishes Chief Wyant and his family the very best in their future endeavors,” the city said in its release.
An attempt to contact the city spokesperson Bianca Stevenson and Wyant was unsuccessful Thursday.
