Top public safety officials named

Published 12:25 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

SNOQUALMIE – Two veterans of public safety in Snoqualmie have been named to the city’s top police and fire posts.

Mayor Fuzzy Fletcher appointed former Snoqualmie Department of Public Safety – Police Division Captain Jim Schaffer to chief of police, while former Snoqualmie Department of Public Safety – Fire Division Deputy Chief Bob Rowe was named fire chief last week. Both were sworn in at the Nov. 10 City Council meeting.

The appointments continue a reorganization plan laid out by Fletcher earlier this year that eliminated the position of director of public safety, a post formerly held by current Interim City Administrator Don Isley. As opposed to answering to the old director of public safety, Schaffer and Rowe will report to the mayor and City Council. The final part of Fletcher’s plan, the hiring of a city administrator, will take place in January.

Schaffer’s appointment came after more than a decade as a police officer in Snoqualmie. Prior to coming to the city, Schaffer worked for the FBI, Bellevue Community College and the Issaquah Police Department. In 1989, Schaffer joined the Snoqualmie Police Department as a part-time officer and became a full-time officer after just five months. In 1991, he was promoted to sergeant and was involved in the formation of the police division under the department of public safety and the construction of a new station in 1998. That same year Schaffer was promoted to captain.

“I could tell after bringing [Schaffer] aboard that he would be a leader in the city,” said Isley, who was the director of public safety and chief of police previously to being interim city administrator. “His time has come.”

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