The city of Pasco has winnowed the list of candidates to invite for interviews in its search for the city’s next police chief following a nationwide recruitment effort that drew 16 applicants from across the country. 

Residents and stakeholders will have an opportunity to meet the five candidates during a public event scheduled from 6:15-8:15 p.m. June 10 at the HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd. 

The city also will host a formal Q&A panel with the candidates during the event. Questions for consideration may be submitted through the city’s website before 5 p.m. June 3. 

Candidates will participate in interviews with three panels, including subject matter experts and community leaders, before meeting with the public. 

Among the five finalists are two currently serving in the Pasco Police Department: 

• Jeff Bratcher is a veteran law enforcement leader with 35 years of experience. The biography he provided indicates he used to work at the Los Angeles Police Department, where he received the LAPD’s Excellence in Leadership Award in 2022 for crime reduction and community engagement.
• Brent Cook is a 36-year veteran of the Pasco Police Department, where he currently serves as deputy chief. The only officer in department history to be named Officer of the Year twice, Cook has advanced through every rank while helping lead major technology, accreditation and community engagement initiatives.
• David Ellis currently serves as police chief of Spokane Valley and previously spent 27 years with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, including nine years as undersheriff. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has held leadership roles on numerous state and regional public safety boards.
• Jen Miles is a captain with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan, where she has served since beginning her law enforcement career in 1999. A graduate of the FBI National Academy, she is known for her leadership in emergency communications, community outreach and public safety education, and was the first female operator on the agency’s SWAT team.
• Bill Parramore is a longtime Pasco Police Department leader who has served the city for more than two decades and currently holds a senior command position within the department. A graduate of the FBI National Academy and California Chiefs’ Executive Leadership Institute, he has led patrol, investigations and specialty units while focusing on community safety and organizational development. He holds a Master of Science in criminal justice administration from Columbia Southern University and a master’s certificate in criminal justice education from University of Virginia.

The Pasco Police Department employs more than 100 staff members and operates with an annual budget of approximately $26 million. The department holds dual accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and the State of Washington. 

The city hired Bob Murray & Associates to conduct the nationwide search. 

Following the June interviews, Pasco City Manager Harold Stewart will determine whether to offer the position to one of the finalists.