In a special City Council Meeting held on Thursday, May 23, the Lamar City Council approved City Administrator Rob Evans’ recommendation to proceed with negotiations with Lamar Police Department (LPD) Chief candidate Al Fear. Since that time, Evans and Fear have been discussing the offer and finalizing details. They have reached a final agreement, and Al Fear will become the City’s next Chief of Police on July 8th.
“While I’m extremely excited to welcome Mr. Fear as our new police chief, I’m also grateful for the years of service that Chief Kyle Miller gave to the LPD,” commented Evans, “Chief Miller declined our invitation to coordinate a public retirement party. Many of us didn’t have an opportunity to thank him and wish him well.”
“His leadership stabilized and modernized the department. While small departments can have high turnover rates, the department’s core has been solid. His officers trusted his leadership, and he kept them current on trends in policing.” Evans added, “I am also thankful for his willingness to consult with us for the next month if we need his expertise.”
Chief Kyle Miller retired on May 31 after 20 years with the LPD, so Evans and Sergeant Jamison Sherrill are dividing the chief’s responsibilities temporarily to maintain normal department operations. Sergeant Sherrill is now overseeing day-to-day management, and Rob Evans is guiding the department for higher level administrative decisions until Fear has been on-boarded. Former Chief Miller has agreed to advise Evans if special circ*mstances arise before July 8th.
Currently in his 27th year in law enforcement, Al Fear is a proven leader and passionate about helping others succeed. He is joining the City of Lamar from the Sterling (CO) Police Department where he has been Commander of Police Operations. In his current position, he supervised the day-to-day operations of the agency, handled community concerns and program development. Fear has a great deal of experience in community outreach, policy development and implementation, mental wellness, tactical operations, budgeting, contract negotiations, investigations, and training. Fear has held a variety of law enforcement positions including commander, director, academy instructor, special response team medic, investigator, and officer during his career.
Fear’s beliefs in transparency, accountability, innovation, and collaboration in leadership should serve him well in Lamar. He is looking forward to leading the department while developing programs and policies that enhance public safety and community relationships. Along with his professional experience, Al has been a speaker at multiple events, won several honors and awards from the Department of Justice, and has media and community impact experience. He is also a certified trainer in several organizational and law enforcement topics including explicit bias, peer support, suicide prevention, being an active bystander, defensive tactics, officer survival, and advanced leadership strategies. Fear has an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Science in Organization Leadership, and is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.
“I look forward to leading the LPD as the next Chief of Police and want to create positive, effective change in Southeast Colorado,” explained Fear. “Lamar is a great city with a solid group of officers. My focus is on creating long lasting relationships and facilitating collaboration within the city to make Lamar a safe place to live and work.” Fear believes that every problem has a solution. He intends to have several open forums including open house events to hear concerns that may exist in the community. “I plan on making the Lamar Police Department one of the best trained and most professional departments in Colorado,” added Fear.
Responsible for daily operations until Chief Fear joins the LPD on July 8th, Sergeant Sherrill is ready to assist in the transition. He recently celebrated 15 years of service with the LPD, starting as a patrol officer on May 31, 2009. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2013. During his time, Sherrill has served as a field training officer (FTO), K9 handler, part-time SWAT team member, and FTO coordinator in addition to his duties as a patrol supervisor.
The LPD has been serving Lamar since 1887. At full force, they employ up to 19 sworn officers, including four sergeants and two detectives. The department also includes multiple staff support positions and up to three Code Enforcement Officers. The Chief also supervises the Lamar Animal Shelter. The Police Department has additional positions available and is willing to employ individuals as they complete a law enforcement academy and become eligible for a Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) certification.
For more information on becoming part of the Lamar Police Department, contact the department at 719.336.4341 or email HR@ci.lamar.co.us.
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