The City of Steamboat Springs has engaged the services of Heather A. Coogan, M.A., an independent investigator, to research the recent allegations surrounding the Steamboat Springs Police Department. Accusations were made recently against Police Chief Joel Rae, and Deputy Police Chief Bob DelValle in a letter from former Detective Dave Kleiber.
Ms Coogan is a retired chief of police, a skilled crisis resilient law enforcement CEO with 37 years of experience, who also holds a Senior Professional Human Resources Certification. She was selected as the first woman to lead a police department in the Denver/Metro area, and has experience conducting internal investigations for public and private organizations with focus on policy violations, policy failure, gender and discrimination issues.
City Manager Deb Hinsvark feels confident that Ms. Coogan will conduct a thorough, fair, and professional investigation.