Chief Don Wick
Don Wick, a 24-year Arvada police veteran, was named Police Chief by City Manager Craig Kocian on July 7, 2007.
Chief Wick started his career with the Arvada Police Department in 1985 after serving four years as a police officer in Laramie, Wyoming. He worked as a patrol officer for four years before being promoted to sergeant, and then to lieutenant in 1997. The lieutenant position was later reclassified to commander. In 2002, Chief Wick was promoted to deputy chief. He worked in most all areas of the police department including patrol, investigations, internal affairs, and administration.
Chief Wick has continued to gain further knowledge through education. He holds a BS degree in Criminal Justice from Metropolitan State College, and a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of Colorado at Denver, Graduate School of Public Affairs.
Further training in law enforcement has come through attending the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University and the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University. Chief Wick is a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University.
Other additional leadership courses include: the Rocky Mountain Program at the Center for the Improvement of Public Management with the University of Colorado at Denver's Graduate School of Public Affairs and the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. If this were not enough, Chief Wick is currently completing coursework in the Public Safety Leadership Program sponsored by Intrado and conducted by the University of Denver at the Daniels College of Business.
Chief Wick stated, “My vision as police chief is to further connect the department with the community by developing partnerships and solving problems impacting our community. I want to assure our city that the police department is committed to improving the quality of life for everyone who lives, works, plays, and visits Arvada.”
Honored to be Arvada’s top law enforcement leader, Chief Wick added, “The members of the Arvada Police Department are skilled professionals who are committed to providing the community with the highest level of service possible. I am delighted to have worked in Arvada for the past 24 years, and I am privileged to lead such a outstanding department with a reputation as one of the finest police agencies in the country.”
In his spare time, Chief Wick enjoys his 1967 Mustang convertible, builds furniture and acoustic guitars, enjoys reading world literature, and is an avid road and mountain cyclist. He has been married for 22 years and has two daughters. Chief Wick loves the great outdoors and all that Colorado offers.
