BOISE, Idaho — After 29 years with the Boise Police Department, Chief Ron Winegar announced he will be retiring later this year.
Winegar has been serving as Boise's police chief since he stepped in as interim chief in the Fall of 2022, after former police chief Ryan Lee resigned. Winegar was appointed as permanent chief in May 2023.
When he was sworn in as chief, Winegar said he cared deeply about the Boise Police Department (BPD), the Treasure Valley and the city of Boise. The news release said Winegar had focused on leadership development, filling vacancies, supporting officers' health and wellness and preparing the department to meet the challenges of a growing community.
Winegar's final day as police chief will be Sept. 20, which marks 27 years since his comrade Officer Mark Stall was killed in the line of duty. Winegar was also shot that night. Following the incident, Winegar continued to be involved with BPD by educating new recruits about the night of Stall's death.
Chief Winegar sat down with KTVB to reflect on his career ahead of retirement:
KTVB's Jude Binkley: Chief, first off, congratulations. Why now?
Chief Ron Winegar: The reason that I came back was really to try to provide some stability to the organization, and to get us through a particularly difficult time. I feel like by September when I retire again, it'll be two years - and I feel like that's just about the right time. It just feels like we're in a good place as an organization. We have really good people, we have a lot of great things going for us, both in the department and in our community...I feel like the organization is in a great place, the city is in a good place. I don't want to say, the infamous words 'mission accomplished,' but I do feel like we've made some great progress and some good things are happening. And I just feel like the timing is right.
Binkley: You talk about the right time, it's certainly been a long time too, 29 years is a heck of a long time to be doing anything.
Chief Winegar: It is.
Binkley: So, over your 29 years with the department, how have you seen Boise change? And how have you seen the policing in Boise change?
Chief Winegar: If I think back far enough in the recesses of my mind, I think about the times in the early 90's and the mid 90's. We had certainly some things going on, but the way we handled things as a department were very different than as to how we handle them now...Today, I feel like certainly there are always criticisms, but we try to give information, we try to create relationships, and we try to help folks understand more about what happens in policing services and in the work that we do...We've had a long-standing commitment to community policing, but we've learned a lot in 30 years...We've had a commitment to have almost a third of our resources devoted to community engagement and community policing, which is a number that I don't think is matched elsewhere. We always talk about why things are so good in Boise. I think part of that is the engagement that we have with our police department and our police officers and our community members. So that commitment has been around a long time, but we've learned a lot, we've grown a lot, we engage more now than ever...So that commitment goes a long way, and I'm certainly proud of that. Do we have room to grow in areas to improve in? Absolutely. But we are committed to doing that.
Binkley: Sounds like that's a highlight of your career with BPD. Any other things that you're really proud of, or moments that looking back almost three decades have stood out to you?
Chief Winegar: There's a lot of great stories, and a lot of great reflections on events that have happened. Some traumatic events, and some really difficult times - but also some great interactions with people. And I've had the opportunity, the privilege to interact on a huge variety of units and teams within the department. Some of the ones that I reflect really favorably on in my own personal career are things like the City of Boise police Pipes & Drums, an organization that we started in 1996. The Honor Guard, having a unit that's devoted to tempering grief with honor...I did have a hand in that for many years, and I'm just thankful for that opportunity...Johnny Law rock 'n' roll band that was from '99 to 2010. We did like 100 school assemblies and concerts and interacted with over 80,000 kids in our community...So those are all great memories and great things. But really, it's about the people. The people that I work with internally in our department, and the people we work within our community.
Binkley: The city's search for the next police chief has begun. I know it's ultimately the mayor's call, but what type of traits would you like to see in the next person who leads the department?
Chief Winegar: To me, a leader is just someone who can help people feel valued for their work, and someone who can set the tone and the direction of the department and then largely step out of the way and let good things happen. You certainly have to have accountability, and we need to be strong in that regard. But I look at the men and women in the Boise Police Department of every rank and every position - whether it's professional staff or sworn officers - and I look at the work that they do day-in and day-out, and I'm frankly amazed. They do such incredible work...I see examples of that happening every week here. So my hope is that a leader will number one, recognize that - and number two, enable that to continue and in fact through flourish and thrive in the future. We need to have someone who is a leader in this organization, certainly who engages with the public, with members of our community, has to be a good team player and work with the other executive leadership staff in the city...Largely internally, I think it's just someone who has respect for the job, for the profession, and for the people who are engaged in doing that. So, I really hope that's the legacy I leave. If nothing else, I hope people realize that I care and that I am committed to the wellbeing of our officers, our employees, as well as our city and our community.
Binkley: You're sticking around for a couple months.
Chief Winegar: Several more, it's not until September. I'm not packing my bags yet; I've got a lot to do still.
Binkley: It's Sept. 20th, I believe. I know that's a fairly significant day for you.
Chief Winegar: It is.
Binkley: Why did you decide to have that be your last day?
Chief Winegar: That is certainly a significant day. Going back many years, I think most people are aware that Mark Stall was killed in the line of duty here in the City of Boise. He has been the only officer ever to lose his life in the service of the City of Boise in the line of duty since the city was incorporated in like 1896. So that's very significant for us as an agency and as a city - but as a police officer, I was there that night when Mark died, September 20, 1997. So that date has always been an important date for me. It's not like it ever goes by every year without me remembering and thinking about and really commemorating Mark. I don't want to in any way overshadow that, for sure. But I felt like if it was good enough for Mark's last day of service to the citizens of Boise, then it would probably be a good day for me to bow out and have it be my last day of work as well.
Binkley: Do you still go to that spot every Sept. 20th?
Chief Winegar: We do, yes. It's become a tradition that we gather and pay tribute to Mark and reflect. I'm sure that will continue. I did it when I was retired before, and I'm sure it will continue long into the future, hopefully forever.
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