Veteran Sandy police officer to become new chief

Kevin Thacker, a veteran Sandy police officer, has been chosen as his department's new chief.

Thacker, a Sandy police officer since 1983, was formally sworn in to replace retiring Police Chief Steve Chapman on Friday afternoon in the Sandy City Council chambers.

"Chief Chapman ran an efficient and innovative department," Thacker stated. "I plan on continuing the valuable programs he helped start, including the Youth Court Program, the Community Response Team and the Family Crimes Intervention Unit."

Thacker said his mission will be to find better ways to communicate with the public.

"We want to continue to build upon the trust we have with the community and, most importantly, work towards resolving issues, not just responding," he said.

Thacker has always wanted to be a cop, noting that he first joined the Sandy City Explorer Program as a 17-year-old.

"Not only did I learn leadership skills, but I found that in learning the reality of law enforcement, I fell in love with police work and found my life's passion," he said.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims