FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
City of Sheridan to Interview Finalists for Police Chief Position
November 10, 2020– The City of Sheridan will interview five candidates for the Police Chief position. The interviews will take place on November 11, 12 and 13, 2020. The five candidates
include: Jana Abens is from Bondurant, Iowa, and lives in a residence north of there with her husband, Darren, and a lovable Saint Bernard. They have three children. They have coached soccer
teams, volunteered with the local Boy Scout Troop, raised funds for Special Olympics, and donated time to the local school district to positively interact with students and parents in their
capacity as law enforcement during football games, homecoming dances, prom, and many other events. Her husband retired in August of this year after serving 25 years in law
enforcement, and she has served more than 22 years at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, currently at the rank of Captain. They both enjoy hiking, kayaking, and camping. Their respect
for wildlife and natural resources as well as their appreciation of the breathtaking views and western culture has drawn them to explore various areas of Wyoming. Jana takes great pride in
her role in law enforcement and feels blessed to be part of this noble calling, which she hopes to share with the Sheridan Police Department.
Dan Brown has 22 years of law enforcement experience in Arizona, and recently retired as the Chief of Police for the Winslow Police Department where he served for over 3 years. Prior to
Winslow, he was the Chief of Police for the St. Johns Police Department. He started his career in 1998 with the Mesa Police Department, and later went on to be a founding member of the
Maricopa Police Department and served as a Commander and Acting Chief of Police for the Gila River Police Department. Daniel has a BS in Education and a Master of Administration in
Public Management, both from Northern Arizona University. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Criminal Justice Leadership from Liberty University. He is a veteran of both the U.S. Marine
Corps and the Army National Guard of Arizona. He is also a graduate of the 267th Session of the FBI National Academy. Daniel has been married nearly 27 years and has an adult daughter.
He is a seasoned law enforcement instructor and is a frequent presenter for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Daniel is a former executive board member for the Arizona
Association of Chiefs of Police and was a founding member of the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. He recently received an award from the Navajo Nation Human Rights
Commission for furthering the human rights for the Navajo people. Terry Brown – worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for 9 years. In 1994, he
joined the Aurora, Colorado Police Department and has been there for the past 27 years. He has progressed through the ranks, starting as a Patrol Officer, to his current rank of Division
Chief. Terry has been fortunate to have worked in or supervised the following assignments: Patrol, Street Crimes, Field Training, Detective Bureau, Internal Affairs, Gang Enforcement,
Narcotics, SWAT, Intelligence, SRO, Investigations, and Traffic. Prior to his promotion to Division Chief, Terry was the Commander of the District 1 Sub-station, Internal Affairs Bureau, and the Special Operations Bureau. Terry holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Management from National American University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and was the Valedictorian. He completed his Master of Public Administration Degree at the University of Colorado. Terry attended the FBI National Academy Session #250, Senior Management Institute for Police, DEA’s Drug Unit Commanders Academy, Leadership in Police Organizations, and the Executive Development Seminar from the Western Management Development Center.
Travis Koltiska is a 19 year veteran of the Sheridan Police Department, currently serving as the Support Services Bureau Commander, overseeing the Criminal Investigations Division, Community Service Officers and School Resource Officers. He has served many roles during his tenure with the department including Operations Bureau Commander, Detective Sergeant, Patrol Sergeant, Public Information Officer, Firearms Program Manager, Special Response Team Leader, Field Training Officer and Patrol Officer. Travis is active in multiple community outreach programs and was the cofounder of the department’s Citizen’s Police Academy. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session #271, where he attended 10 weeks of law enforcement leadership training in Quantico, VA. Travis began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer with the Wheatland Police Department in 1995 and in 1998 was assigned to the Southeast Drug Enforcement Task Force with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation in Cheyenne, WY, investigating drug and violent crimes. He attended Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice in 1994. Travis was born and raised on a ranch east of Sheridan. He is a graduate of Sheridan High School. Together, Travis and his wife Mandy, have 5 children; Allison, Tyler, Sadie, Danielle and Hunter.
Tom Ringley is a 20 year veteran of the Sheridan Police Department and serves as the Patrol Bureau Commander. He has had the opportunity to serve in all leadership positions below the position of Chief of Police during his tenure with the Sheridan Police Department. His past leadership roles include the Support Services Bureau Commander, Patrol Sergeant, Criminal Investigations Division Sergeant, Public Information Officer, Special Response Team Tactical Commander, Custody and Control Program Manager, Field Training Officer and Patrol Officer. Tom has served on a wide variety of teams within the Sheridan community ranging from Dementia Friendly Wyoming to the Sex Offender Containment Team. He is a cofounder of the Citizen’s Police Academy. Tom participated in the Center for a Vital Community and Leadership Sheridan County programs. He is a 2020 graduate of Northwestern Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff and Command. Prior to moving to Sheridan, Tom served in the United States Army for nine years and is a veteran of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing) in 1988. He grew up in a military family and moved a great deal while growing up. Tom attended high school in England and Montgomery, AL, before graduating in 1984 from West Springfield High School in Springfield, VA. He lives in Sheridan.
The City hired Prothman, an executive search firm, to help with the search for a Police Chief. After a review of the written applications Prothman interviewed candidates that best met the City’s profile for the position. Prothman then met with City Administration review the results of those interviews and choose the finalists.
