New chief announced

The City of Green River recently announced that Green River Police Department Captain Shaun Sturlaugson has been promoted to be the department's new chief of police.

"I am very grateful, excited, and yet humbled by this enormous responsibility," Sturlaugson said in a press release. "I look forward to continuing my commitment and dedication of fostering an environment where our officers and staff want to come to work every day. I also recognize the devotion needed of me and my team in ensuring our community members are proud of their police department and their officers. I am excited to continue to establish highly positive community and partnering agency relationships."

Sturlaugson has been serving as the interim police chief since April 17, when he took over after the previous chief, Tom Jarvie, retired following 31 years of service.

Sturlaugson himself has been in law enforcement for nearly 24 years, with the last 19 years spent serving Green River. He has spent time in every facet of police work, including patrol, investigations, field training, and SWAT. Sturlaugson also has an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice from Central Wyoming College and a bachelor's degree with honors in Geography and Natural Resource Management from the University of Wyoming.

"In his leadership roles with the police department, Shaun has been instrumental in training officers as a Field Training Officer for 11 years, a Patrol Corporal and Sergeant, Commander of the SWAT team and Co-Commander of the Sweetwater County joint SWAT team, member of the Sweetwater County Joint Communications Board, and as a Captain for the last five and a half years," the City of Green River press release explained.

Mayor Pete Rust expressed his excitement over the new police chief.

"Shaun Sturlaugson is a natural leader," Rust said. "You can see he is full of integrity and has a great connection with his department, who he works with, and within the community. He will help lead our police department into the future."

"Chief Sturlaugson was selected because he is truly the best person for the job," City Administrator Reed Clevenger said. "He has proven himself in the interim chief role over the past seven months to be the most capable to lead our department and serve our residents. He immediately stepped into the role and began to lead the team and implement processes and trainings. We have a fully staffed department for the first time in a long while, and as we see a shift of growth in our community's future, it became evident that hiring from within was the right choice."

"The Green River Police Department has had a great reputation of service and commitment to the community for decades and it is because we employ some of the very best dedicated, hard-working and courageous men and women in the profession," Sturlaugson said. "I was honored to work alongside them and blessed to continue to work with them and lead them into this next chapter for the Green River Police Department."

Chief Sturlaugson is married to Rhiannon and they have two children - Ty, who is in the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Dental Program, and Cydnee, who is a nursing student at Western Wyoming Community College. When he's not working, Sturlaugson enjoys spending time with family, fly fishing, hunting, reading, traveling, coaching baseball and enjoying the occasional cigar.