Wenatchee Police Chief Finalists Gather for Meet and Greet

There are three candidates vying to become Wenatchee's next police chief. The candidates convened on City Hall tonight for a discussion of their qualifications and aspirations.

Of the three finalists, only Doug Shoemaker has no prior affiliation with Wenatchee or its law enforcement apparatus. But Shoemaker is well-traveled, having served as police chief of Grand Junction, Colorado and Denton, Texas.

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If selected for this role, Shoemaker says he will prioritize officer well-being. That was one of the signature achievements of his 17-month tenure in Denton.

"We brought in the FBI-LEEDA series," Shoemaker says. "We also started taking officers to a safety and wellness conference through the International Police Chiefs. We started digging into what wellness meant to people in the agency."

The other hopefuls - Capt. Brain Chance and Capt. Edgar Reinfeld - are impeccably, intimately knowledgeable of how the department works. Between them they have 44 years of law enforcement experience.

Chance's leadership within the department has been rewarded with several promotions. He also has a history of community stewardship; he participates in such activities as Shop With a Cop and Santa's Stars.

If selected for this role, Chance says he prioritize staffing and recruitment difficulties.

"It is gonna be a huge challenge because law enforcement is really struggling right now to bring in big numbers of interested applicants."

Reinfeld is famed for having adopted a more analytical, data-driven approach. For starters he oversaw the implementation of the Lexipol policy system. Given his penchant for sober analysis, it's no surprise that if selected for this role, he says he will prioritize timely planning.

"I think day one - the biggest priority is looking forward to the next strategic plan and the next deal," Reinfeld says. "Day one is to plan the next leadership summit."

Outgoing police chief Steve Crown announced in March that his retirement was imminent. He has served in this capacity since 2016.