Bellevue appoints interim police chief with Steve Mylett leaving for new job in August
Jul 20, 2021, 3:23 PM | Updated: Jul 21, 2021, 11:10 am
Bellevue City Manager Brad Miyake and newly-appointed Police Chief Wendell Shirley. (City of Bellevue)
(City of Bellevue)
With Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett leaving for a new job in Akron, Ohio, in August, the city has officially appointed Wendell Shirley as interim chief to fill Mylett’s role while the search for a permanent replacement begins.
Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett leaving department for new job in Ohio
Mylett announced in early July that he would be leaving the department to head up Akron’s police force after six years as Bellevue’s chief, citing a desire to live closer to his children and grandchildren as one of his primary reasons for the move.
Shirley will step in to lead the Bellevue Police Department once Mylett steps down on Aug. 9. The soon-to-be interim chief boasts 25 years of experience in law enforcement. He had previously served as an officer for the Santa Monica Police Department in California before retiring in 2019.
Bellevue city leaders will conduct a larger nationwide search for a permanent police chief “in the coming weeks,” while Shirley leads the department through the interim “transitional period.”
Chief Steve Mylett describes talking with protesters
According to the City of Bellevue, Shirley came out of retirement to join BPD as an assistant chief in March, after he “felt called to return to public service” in the wake of last summer’s protests over social justice and police reform.
“(Shirley) has my full confidence and I look forward to working with him,” City Manager Brad Miyake said in a news release.
