Crime & Safety

Medina Replaces Ousted Chief with Washington State Patrol Commander

Washington State Patrol Commander Mark Thomas replaces ousted chief Jeffrey Chen, whose termination this year still is the subject of dispute among the council.

The city of Medina has hired Mark Thomas as its new Chief of Police, replacing ousted police chief Jeffrey Chen.

"Mark has an excellent mix of education, experience, and professionalism. He will be great fit for both the community and the staff," noted Medina City Manager, Donna Hanson.

The decision to hire Thomas follows a rigorous screening and interview process coordinated by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. The process involved a public forum held on Aug. 8 where members ofthe community were able to meet and interact with five finalists as well as, interviews by a community group, police
department personnel, and department heads, according to a city of Medina press release.

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Thomas has 26 years of law enforcement experience with the Washington State Patrol (WSP). He has been the WSP Homeland Security Division Commander for the last five years with responsibilities that include security and law enforcement services for Washington State Ferries, the WSP Interagency Bomb Squad, the WSP Canine Training Unit, and emergency management functions within the state patrol, according to the press release.

Prior to 2007, Thomas was a District Commander and managed field operations for the WSP in a seven county region that includes the Olympic Peninsula and Washington's Pacific Coast. His duties included
representing the WSP with the criminal justice community, elected officials, and community groups.

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Thomas has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Central Washington University and a Master's Degree in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.

He will take over as Chief of the department with 9 commissioned police officers, including the Chief, on Oct. 17. Lieutenant Dan Yourkoski has been Acting Chief since December 2010.

The city had been in search of a replacement for former Chief Jeffrey Chen after he was fired in April, following an investigation started by city manager Hanson.

Many residents have been to city council meetings in support of Chen. The latest disagreement on the city council -- -- stemmed from her public disclosure lawsuit related to documents in the Chen investigation.

 

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