PEORIA, Ariz. (Feb. 11, 2011) – Peoria’s city manager has
chosen Denton, Texas, Police Chief Roy W. Minter Jr. to lead the Peoria Police
Department, pending confirmation by the City Council.
Minter has spent the last three and a half years leading a
220-person police department in Denton, a city of about 120,000 people located
40 miles northwest of Dallas. In Peoria, he will command 288 people and oversee
annual budget of almost $35 million, compared with $21 million in Denton.
“We were impressed not only with Chief Minter’s experience
running a department, but also with his commitment to community policing and his
proven track record in forming community partnerships,” says Carl Swenson,
Peoria’s city manager.
Minter implemented Community Oriented Policing shortly
after arriving in Denton by creating the United Community Action Network. This
network, which brought together representatives from neighborhood organizations,
the local school district, area universities, the faith community and the
business sector, helped identify and discuss issues affecting the community.
“The Peoria Police Department has a long tradition of
being one of the most professional and innovative law enforcement agencies in
the country,” said Minter. “One of my primary goals as chief will be to manage
our resources to accomplish the operational and organizational mission of the
agency.”
Before taking the top job in Denton, Minter rose through
the police ranks in Aurora, Colo., eventually becoming a district commander. He
began his law-enforcement career with the Houston Police Department in 1982.
Minter was among three finalists to be Peoria’s police
chief. The City Council is expected to confirm his appointment Tuesday, Feb. 15.
When confirmed, he will take charge of the force on Monday, March 21 at a salary
of $145,000. He would replace Larry Ratcliff, who retired Feb. 1.
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