CHENEY, Wash – The City of Cheney has a new top cop.
Cheney’s mayor and city council voted unanimously Tuesday to appoint Chris Oakes as chief of police.
Oakes has served as interim chief since last May, following the resignation of Rick Beghtol.
In a post on Facebook, Cheney Police calls this a “historic moment” and says this is the first permanent police chief the city has hired since 2022.
Earlier news coverage indicates Beghtol had a health condition, which led to his retirement.
Chief Oakes is a US Army veteran and has been a full-time police officer in Cheney since 2009.
“Moments like this remind us how strong the connection is between the Cheney Police Department and the community we serve,” the department said in the post/
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