A veteran law enforcement officer from Rock Springs has been chosen as Powell’s next police chief.

Following a nationwide, months-long search, the city selected Sweetwater County Sheriff Sgt. Jim Rhea to lead the Powell Police Department. Rhea will assume his new duties next month.

“I feel truly honored to have been chosen and I cannot wait to serve the community of Powell,” he said in a Wednesday interview.

Rhea was among four finalists who traveled to Powell and participated in a series of interviews last week. He came away impressed with the city, the community and the current members of the Powell Police Department.

“The professionalism of the members of the police department that I saw and [heard] from feedback from the community was fantastic …,” Rhea said, adding, “I really am looking forward to serving alongside them.”

City Administrator Zack Thorington was tasked with picking the new chief and said he didn’t take it lightly. Out of four “excellent” candidates, Thorington said Rhea “checked more boxes” than any other.

Thorington collected feedback from members of the department, city staffers, city councilors, community members, business owners and KRW Associates, a firm the city retained to assist with the search. Among each group, Rhea came back as the first or second choice, Thorington said. After thinking about the decision over the weekend, he made an offer to Rhea on Monday and notified city personnel of his acceptance on Tuesday.

“This guy’s gonna be a very good fit,” Thorington said, adding, “I’m excited for the city and everyone [in the community].”

While it was only one factor among many, Thorington said Rhea’s Wyoming experience was a plus. He noted the officer already knows state law and is fully certified as a Wyoming peace officer.

“He can hit the ground running,” Thorington said.

Among his first tasks as chief, Rhea said one will be to sit down with stakeholders and department personnel to prioritize what needs to be done.

“It’s just a great opportunity to come in and just work alongside some great people,” he said. “And although there's going to be challenges, I look forward to addressing those through teamwork and cooperation with the city government officials and the members of the community.”

Rhea has served with the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office since 2013, including a stint as the office’s investigator, on a regional SWAT team and as a Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation task force officer. He’s been a sergeant since 2022.

In his remarks at a community forum last week, Rhea said he’s forged connections with officers around the state, including in Powell. This area was also appealing because he has family members in Cody, other parts of the Big Horn Basin and southern Montana, he said.

Rhea and his wife have four children, who range in age from 13 to 20. A son will be graduating from high school in the coming weeks, and then heading to Army boot camp just a few days before Rhea’s June 12 start date in Powell.

“It’ll be a busy week,” he said, “but it’ll be a fun week.”