Fairbanks Police Chief Nancy Reeder resigned from her position Monday, after a little more than a year on the job.
City spokesperson Teal Soden says acting Deputy Police Chief Rick Sweet has temporarily been appointed as acting chief until the city hires a new chief.
“A date has not yet been set yet as to when the process for hiring a new police chief will begin,” she said Monday afternoon. “But right now, the mayor and city administration are just focused on making sure the police department has what they need during this transition.”
Soden says it’ll probably take a few months to fill the Fairbanks police chief job, depending on the number and quality of applicants.
“The duration of the hiring process can vary, based on the circumstances,” she said. “Last time, when we hired Chief Reeder, it took about three to six months in preparation and taking applications and the interview process.”
Reeder’s resignation took City Hall by surprise. She cited “personal reasons” when she announced her decision Monday morning. Mayor Jim Matherly declined to comment Monday on Reeder’s departure.
Reeder took over the department in June of last year, replacing then-Chief Eric Jewkes. She was the first woman police chief. Before that, she was an Anchorage Police Department lieutenant who had a total of 35 years of experience with the department.
Tim Ellis is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
