Boulder Police Chief Finalists: Overview

BOULDER, CO — The City of Boulder has announced five finalist candidates in the search for the next police chief, after Greg Testa retired in September 2019. Community members are invited to meet the candidates at a forum on Monday, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Boulder’s Main Library & Arts Auditorium.

Each candidate will give a short presentation at the forum, and community members can then submit questions for the candidates. Childcare and a Spanish translator will be available at the event.

“In our search for Boulder’s next police chief, understanding our community’s values and partnering with the community to address public safety and racial equity will be essential leadership traits,” City Manager Jane Brautigam said in a statement. “We’re looking for a chief who will support our officers to ensure Boulder has a well-prepared professional department that continues to embrace community engagement. I’m pleased that we have a strong pool of highly qualified candidates to consider.”

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Here are overviews of the candidates, courtesy of the City of Boulder:

• Chief Maris Herold is an accomplished urban and campus policing executive, community leader, and crime science expert. Herold spent 23 years with the Cincinnati Police Department working to implement police reform, including problem-solving strategies, resolving social conflict, reducing crime and disorder, and fostering mutual respect and trust among community members and police. Chief Herold recently led the University of Cincinnati Police Division through an extensive, highly publicized, and successful police reform process. She is an internationally recognized crime reduction strategist, published author, problem-solving expert, and recipient of numerous community and professional association awards. Herold holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Xavier University and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Eckerd College. She is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police.

• Deputy Chief Curtis Johnson is a 26-year veteran of the Boulder Police Department. He is currently responsible for the Staff and Support Service Division and previously served as the Operations Division Deputy Chief. During his tenure with the Boulder Police Department, Deputy Chief Johnson has served as a patrol officer, DUI enforcement officer, detective, patrol sergeant, professional standards supervisor and was a commander for 7 years working in a variety of assignments, including being the SWAT and bomb squad commander. Johnson is a Boulder native and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Government from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA and a MPA from the American University in Washington, DC. Before he started his policing career, Johnson worked for the International Association of Chiefs of Police providing support and research for over 20,000 law enforcement executives internationally.

• Commander Jason Lando is an accomplished leader with 20-years of policing experience and currently services as the commander in vice/narcotics for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police in Pennsylvania. Previously, Commander Lando served for five years as commander of the Zone 5 police station, where he implemented several community trust building initiatives in one of the most underserved parts of the city. Lando also worked with a team to develop and implement Procedural Justice and Implicit Bias training to more than 1,000 police officers and community members. Lando holds a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Medicine Management from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in Legal Studies from California University of Pennsylvania. He also volunteers as a “Big Brother” and serves on the Board of Directors for the Pittsburgh Child Guidance Foundation and Foxwall Emergency Medical Service.

• On Sept. 3, 2019, Deputy Chief Carey Weinheimer was appointed as the Interim Police Chief of the Boulder Police Department. The Colorado native started his 33-year career with the Vail Police Department and then the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office before joining the Boulder Police Department in 1990. Deputy Chief Weinheimer has served as an officer, detective, patrol sergeant, detective sergeant, commander and deputy chief. As a Deputy Chief, he has managed both the Operations and the Staff and Support Services Division. Weinheimer has been closely involved in the management of the police department and worked with the city to launch the first-ever Boulder Stop Data Report. Weinheimer also is a member the city’s racial equity team. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado, Boulder and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

• Inspector Derrick E. Wood is a 21-year police veteran who leads the largest patrol division for the Philadelphia Police Department with more than 700 sworn officers and 150 civilian employees. Wood is a creative leader and well-known for being an expert in implementing community engagement programs to build the trust between the police and community stakeholders, while working with his staff to nurture a positive environment for all employees. Wood holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Holy Family University and will complete a MBA from his alma mater in April 2020. Inspector Wood is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Senior Management Institute for Policing, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, and Penn State University Justice and Safety Institute Police Executive Development (POLEX).

Information about the candidates, as well as comment cards, will be available at the presentation. A community reception in the library's arts gallery is planned for 7 p.m. after the forum.

More information on the event can be found here.