Eugene, OR - The City of Eugene is pleased to announce David James will serve as Interim Executive Police Director for the Eugene Police Department while the City recruits and hires a permanent police chief. James will start on December 11, 2017, and remain until the City's chief recruitment process is complete and a permanent chief selected in the spring of 2018.
James has more than 44 years of experience in municipal law enforcement and is director of Law Enforcement Leadership & Management Consulting, LLC, where he provides management related consulting services to public entities and private businesses, as well as interim municipal executive services.
James retired as chief of the Carrollton, Texas, Police Department in 2010, where he served a community of more than 121,000 with 163 authorized sworn officers and 80 non-sworn personnel. Prior to his appointment in Carrollton, James retired from the Dallas Police Department (DPD) after 21 years of service. At the time of his retirement he held the rank of captain and served as the director of Training. James has served as an interim police chief for the City of McKinney, Texas, the Town of Flower Mound, Texas, and the City of Colleyville, Texas.
James was retained through the services of Strategic Government Research (SGR), the firm selected by the City of Eugene to recruit a new Eugene police chief in the wake of Chief Pete Kerns' retirement. To ensure a smooth transition, the contract with James will allow a short overlap with Chief Pete Kerns in early December.
"David is an experienced law enforcement professional with an extensive law enforcement background, including over 15 years of successful service as chief for a police department similar in size to ours,” said Eugene City Manager Jon Ruiz. “He has repeatedly demonstrated an exceptional aptitude for leading police organizations while they search for a permanent chief. Throughout his career, David has demonstrated a commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive and safe community for everyone. I am confident that David will bring that same commitment to Eugene.”