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Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski appointed Mike Brown as police chief Tuesday.
Brown had served as interim chief since June 2015, when then-Mayor Ralph Becker ousted popular Chief Chris Burbank.
Brown, who has served for 25 years in the Salt Lake City Police Department, has held a number of positions, including commander of the Special Operations Bureau. In that role, he oversaw SWAT, the Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the metropolitan narcotics task force, the organized-crime unit, the motorcycle squad and other areas.
"I have worked closely with Chief Brown and am encouraged by his willingness to make the necessary changes to keep our city's police force well-trained while also strengthening ties with the community and improving transparency," Biskupski said. "Chief Brown began implementing some changes during the [Biskupski administration] transition period, including my call to work more closely with law enforcement agencies across the county and the DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration] to combat the drug trafficking in our city."
Brown said he is pleased to be named chief.
"This is a dream come true. I love this community and the officers who work to keep Salt Lake City safe on a daily basis," he said. "We all have the same goal of a police department that serves with respect and integrity. I am confident I can lead this force to meet the expectations of Mayor Biskupski and the people of Salt Lake City."
Brown said he would like to focus on community policing and favors the old beat approach with a cop in every neighborhood. As such, the police force will grow by 51 officers in the coming months.
The new chief said his administration will continue to focus on de-escalation in the wake of several officer-involved shootings. At the same time, Brown said he believes the Police Civilian Review Board is working well, but that it should have independent legal counsel.
The mayor's office also formally announced Tuesday the appointment of several key positions, which have been finalized in the past few weeks. They include Robin Hutcheson, director of transportation; Mike Akerlow, director of housing and neighborhood development; Jeff Snelling, city engineer; Cindi Mansell, city recorder; Orion Goff, chief building official; and Bryan Hemsley, chief procurement officer.
"Over the course of the last few months, I have had the opportunity to engage in conversation and work closely with each of these individuals," Biskupski said. "Each of these leaders has demonstrated to me through words and action their commitment to the people of Salt Lake City, the employees of the Salt Lake City Corporation and to my administration's core principles of respect and inclusiveness."
Biskupski said she is in the final stages of selecting a director of economic development. Earlier this year, the mayor launched a nationwide search for an economic leader who would help guide a new Department of Business and Economic Development that is being formalized through the budget process.
Searches for a new chief information officer and director of public services also are continuing.