Police Chief Recruitment
The Aspen Police Department (APD) was established in the 1880s. Known for its community connection, warm approach, and progressive focus on people, APD is a premier mountain town law enforcement agency.
Former Police Chief Richard Pryor retired in December 2022 after 29 years of service with the APD, including 13 years as the chief of police.
The City of Aspen is currently recruiting and screening candidates in the process of selecting the best new police chief for the community.
In accordance with the City of Aspen Charter, the city manager selects and supervises the chief of police, and Aspen City Council confirms the city manager’s appointment.
Finalists Selected for Police Chief Position
The City of Aspen has narrowed its search for a new Police Chief to five finalists. Finalists will visit the week of March 6, 2023, for interviews and selection events with City Council, city staff and community stakeholders. On Wednesday and Thursday, March 8 and 9, all five candidates will interview with a community member panel and a panel comprised of City leadership and law enforcement professionals. Additionally, candidates will meet with Aspen Police Department staff.
The finalists for the position:
- Linda Consuegra, current Assistant Chief of Administration for Aspen Police Department, Aspen, Colo., and previous Interim Chief of Police for Aspen Police Department.
- Kimberly Ferber, current Operations Commander with Sterling Police Department, Sterling, Colo., and previous State of Colorado Law Enforcement Coordinator.
- Bill Linn, current Interim Police Chief and Assistant Chief of Operations for Aspen Police Department, Aspen, Colo.
- Charlie Schoepflin, current Commander, Administrative/Support Operations Bureau with Commerce City Police Department, Commerce City, Colo., and previous Commander, Special Operations with Commerce City Police Department.
- Laurie Scott, current Assistant Chief of Police for the City of Loveland, Colo., and previous Police Captain for Omaha Police Department, Omaha, Neb.
Community Meet and Greet
Wednesday, March 8 | 5:15 to 6:45 p.m
Aspen Police Department Community Room, 540 E. Main Street, 2loor
We invite community members to attend the upcoming Community Meet & Greet to learn about the finalists selected to move forward in the Aspen Police Chief recruitment process. The City invites community members to attend, meet the candidates, and can provide feedback via comment cards or through an online survey. The deadline for comments is Monday, March 13, 2023, at 10 a.m.
Future Police Chief Community Input Survey has Closed
Thanks for all of your feedback, Aspen! The survey has now closed. Input has been sent to the recruitment team to assist them as they review candidates.
The City of Aspen seeks your input to ensure the best possible recruitment process in selecting the next City of Aspen Chief of Police. Community members are invited to provide their input by completing a brief survey and providing comments (external link). The survey seeks public feedback about the skills and characteristics that are necessary for this position and that are valuable in candidates applying for the selection process.
Community feedback collected through this process will be used by the City of Aspen’s city manager and recruiter to identify candidates, select a preferred candidate, and establish priorities for the next chief of police.
In accordance with the City of Aspen Charter, the city manager selects and supervises the chief of police, and Aspen City Council confirms the city manager’s appointment.
Thank you for your input on this important topic.
This survey was open until Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022.
Job Posting and Brochure
The job posting for the Police Chief position went out on a variety of job posting sites frequented by potential candidates. The posting was open until Thursday, January 5, 2023. Over 44 applications were received.
Accompanying the job description and posting was a Recruitment Brochure (pdf) which has a description of the Aspen Community, the City of Aspen organization, and what characteristics and qualities are wanted in the new police chief. The executive recruiter mailed this brochure to qualified potential candidates across the United States, encouraging them to apply to live and work in Aspen.
Executive Recruitment Process
The City of Aspen collected proposals from qualified recruiting consultant firms and selected the executive recruitment firm of Strategic Government Resources to fill the Police Chief position due to the retirement of former Police Chief Richard Pryor (external link).
Executive recruiters worked to identify the qualifications and traits that would make an applicant a good fit for the Aspen community and the city organization. The City of Aspen selected the firm Strategic Government Resources to be the executive recruiters for this search. An executive recruiter from Strategic Government Resources met with City Council members and presented to Council at the Day, Date meeting with the plan and process for moving forward.
Qualified candidates have been identified and presented to City Council, which will invite candidates for an interview process consisting of multiple rounds. Included in the interview process will be meetings with city staff and a public meet and greet for members of the community to talk with the candidates directly.
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Linda Consuegra
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Linda Consuegra currently is serving as the Assistant Chief of Administration for the City of Aspen Police Department (APD). Consuegra also stepped into sharing the role of interim chief of police for APD during the transition period between the retirement of Chief Richard Pryor and the appointment of a new chief. Consuegra has worked with the Aspen Police Department since 1999.
Consuegra began her police career as a police officer with APD, and assumed progressively larger roles including that of sergeant. In 2008, Consuegra stepped into the role of Assistant Chief of Operations with APD before moving into her current position. Prior experience includes strategic planning, policy and program development, and mentoring and supervising staff.
Prior to joining APD, Consuegra was a Middle School Guidance Counselor in Santa Tecla, El Salvador.EducationUniversidad José Simeón Cañas - San Salvador, El Salvador
Bachelors of Science in Psychology -
Kimberly Ferber
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Kimberly Ferber has served as the Operations Commander for the Sterling Police Department, Sterling, Colo. since April 2021. Ferber previously served as a State of Colorado Law Enforcement Coordinator with the Governor's Highway Safety Office, Colorado Department of Transportation, Office of Transportation Safety in Denver, Colo. (2018-2021).Ferber started her career in law enforcement with the Littleton Police Department, Littleton, Colo. in 1989 as a District Patrol Officer, Motorcycle Traffic Officer and Detective. She stepped up to handle more responsibilities when taking on the roles of Patrol and INvestigations Sergeant, Investigations Commander, and Dividion Chief Investigations/Support Services.
Additionally, Ferber was an adjunct professor with the Arapahoe Community College Police Academy, Littleton, Colo.
Education
Columbia College - Columbia, Missouri
Bachelors of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration -
Bill Linn
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Bill Linn currently is serving as the Assistant Chief of Operations for the City of Aspen Police Department (APD). Linn also stepped into sharing the role of interim chief of police for APD during the transition period between the retirement of Chief Richard Pryor and the appointment of a new chief. Linn has worked with the Aspen Police Department since 1994.
Linn began his police career as an evidence/operations officer, firearms instructor with APD, and gained increasing responsibility and authority as he moved into positions as a patrol officer and sergeant. In 2008, Linn stepped into the role of Assistant Chief of Administration with APD before moving into his current position. Prior experience includes managing budgets, developing department policy and procedures, and managing public outreach..Prior to his career in law enforcement, Linn was a journalist with the Aspen Daily News.EducationTexas Tech University
Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology -
Charlie Schoepflin
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Charlie Schoepflin has served as the Commander, Administrative/Support Operations Bureaus for Commerce City Police Department (CCPD) in Commerce City, Colo. since 2019. Schoepflin previously served as CCPD's Commander, Special Operations (2017-2019).Schoepflin began his police career with CCPD as an Investigations Sergeant in 2006, and moved up the ladder and through various roles in law enforcement with with Commerce City.Additionally, Schoepflin has worked with the North Metro Drug Task Force, the Arvada Police Department, and as a Deputy Sheriff for Jefferson County, Colo.
EducationMetropolitan State University - Denver, Colo.
Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice -
Laurie Scott
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Laurie Scott has served as the Assistant Chief of Police for Loveland Police Department in Loveland, Colo. since February 2021. Scott previously served with the Omaha Police Department (OPD), Omaha, Neb., as a Police Lieutenant (2010-2017) and Police Captain (2017-2021).Scott began her police career as a patrol officer with OPD in 1992, and rose steadily through the ranks. Following her elevation to the rank of Captain in 2017 she became Precinct Commander in northwest Omaha, overseeing three shifts of 98 sworn patrol officers. Prior experience, as a sergeant and lieutenant at OPD, included supervisory roles in training, patrol and administrative functions.Additionally, Scott worked 19 years as an adjunct professor teaching criminal justice courses at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.Education
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Bachelors of Science in Criminal JusticeUniversity of Nebraska at Omaha
Masters of Science in Criminal Justice
