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Turmoil, tragedy test police chief’s leadership Arvada, Colo., Police Chief Link Strate calls police work “an incredibly honorable profession,” and one that can be immensely satisfying.
Beesley and his family, but beyond that, Strate recognized the need to acknowledge the community’s grief and its support of the police department.
But even in the best of times, it can be taxing, dangerous work. The last year or so has hardly been the best of times. Not for police in general, and not for Arvada Police specifically.
To move the police department forward through such a wrenching period, “We had to pause and try to get perspective on what the organization has gone through ... and recognize that this affects people differently.”
In June, Arvada Police Officer Gordon Beesley — a school resource officer widely remembered as kind, caring and humble — was ambushed and murdered by a man who investigators believe set out to kill police. Compounding the tragedy: A bystander who shot Beesley’s killer was then shot to death during the chaos when officers arrived and fired, thinking he was the original shooter. Strate earned a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership at Regis. But it’s hard to imagine a classroom curriculum that prepares anyone to lead a department through the aftermath of such a tragedy. The police department wanted to honor
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Strate joined the suburban Denver city’s police department as a patrol officer in 1987 after graduating from Northern Arizona University. In 2018, city leaders conducted a nationwide search to replace departing Chief Don Wick, before realizing the right man for the job was already in their department. Police work has never been easy, but it perhaps has never been harder than in the months since Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on the neck of George Floyd and held it there until Floyd died. That killing of a Black man by a white officer sparked unprecedented outrage, and prompted a re-thinking of the
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fundamental structure of police departments, from how resources are allocated to how officers are recruited and trained. That’s fine with Strate. “I don’t think anybody is against police reform. That is something every department should be interested in from the get-go.” Still, he doubts those chanting “de-fund the police” truly would be happy if police departments dissolved. And he would remind vocal critics that “police” is not a single entity, but thousands of departments large and small, each with its own culture, policies and leadership. Arvada PD’s culture, Strate said, emphasizes non-violent confrontations and doesn’t condone racial profiling. The department exceeds state standards in its deescalation training, and it forbids use of choke holds, hog-tying and other controversial restraints. Police departments increasingly are asked to serve as mental health counselors and social workers and Arvada PD is no
