On Thursday Oct. 26, Mayor Kelli Linville offered Deputy Chief David Doll the position as Bellingham Police Chief and he accepted. Chief Cliff Cook is retiring on Nov. 30, and Doll will begin as police chief effective Dec. 1.
David Doll started with BPD in 1980 as an explorer cadet and was hired as a commissioned officer in 1984. Doll has been a Deputy Chief for the past 12 years. Doll's experience includes patrol, K9, school resource officer, investigations, organizational/field training, bicycle patrol, and first-level and middle management leadership. He has served as Deputy Director of the City's 911 Center and as Emergency Manager, and he was awarded a departmental medal of valor while in K9. Doll is a life-long Whatcom County resident and attended Sehome High School, Whatcom Community College, WWU and Columbia College. He also is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command.
Mayor Linville said that while she is sad to see Chief Cook go, she is excited to have Chief Doll as the new police chief.
“Continuity in the department is important to me, and Dave has a great reputation within the department and in our community,” Mayor Linville said. “We went through an extensive search for a chief five years ago, and since then, Chief Cook has established a strong legacy in the department. BPD has a Strategic Plan that lays out the roadmap for the department's future, and I know Dave will carry on the good work put into place by Chief Cook. Choosing an internal candidate for the position — a person who I have worked closely with — is my preferred way to ensure that we continue in the right direction.
“Our police department is truly 'committed to community,' and Chief Doll takes that commitment seriously. I look forward to working with him in the years to come.”
