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.