December 23, 2020

Bloomington, MN—Police Chief Jeff Potts has announced that he will be retiring after 12 years at the helm of the Bloomington Police Department.

Employed with the City since 1991, Chief Potts has also served as police officer, sergeant and commander in Bloomington. He was appointed Chief of Police in November 2008. His retirement will become effective on January 31, 2021.

Chief Potts joined the Bloomington Police Department when he was 23 years old, starting as a patrol officer. He later established the department’s branch base at Mall of America. At the time of his promotion to Chief of Police, he was the first chief to come from within the department in 35 years.

Chief Potts holds a master’s degree in police administration from the University of St. Thomas and is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Virginia. He is past president of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association.

Chief Potts has had a number of notable accomplishments leading the Bloomington Police Department. They include:

• Pathways to Policing Program – A collaboration with St. Louis Park and several other agencies starting in 2017, the program is designed to remove barriers from nontraditional candidates who are interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement but may not have the means to pay for or availability to attend a two-year program. In 2019, Pathways to Policing received a Program Excellence Award for Community Diversity and Inclusion from the International City/County Management Association.
• Joint Community Police Partnership – Bloomington joined the Joint Community Police Partnership (JCPP), a Hennepin County program that works collaboratively to enhance relationships between police and the community, specifically with immigrants, people of color, indigenous people, and faith communities.
• Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) – A core component of the JCPP, the MAC is a volunteer committee representative of the community designated to provide feedback on the Police Department’s operations and programs.
• Body worn and squad car cameras – The Police Department adopted the use of body worn and squad car cameras in 2019 to enhance public trust, collect evidence and identify training needs.
• Community engagement – Chief Potts led efforts to interact with the community on a daily basis to build relationships with the community. These activities included in-person events such as Coffee with a Cop, Community Conversations and Safe Summer Nights. Bloomington Police also established a presence on Twitter, Nextdoor, and Facebook, and launched the video series "Q&A with BPD."
• Equity in policing – Under Chief Potts’ leadership, the Police Department took significant steps in hiring and training to provide officers with skills to handle all situations appropriately and treat everyone with respect and dignity.
• Embedded social worker program – Designed to help Bloomington residents in crisis, including those with mental health and substance use disorders, a social worker within the Police Department builds relationships with individuals, determines the right support and follows up to provide the necessary services to help people in need.
• National events – Chief Potts directed the department’s response on a number of prominent events including presidential visits and the Super Bowl in 2019.

 "Serving at the Bloomington Police Department for the past 29 years has truly been an honor and a privilege and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Police Chief for the past 12 years," said Chief Potts.

 "The Bloomington Police Department has a strong reputation for professionalism and expertise, due in large part to Chief Potts’ leadership," said City Manager Jamie Verbrugge. "He is a recognized leader by peers and policy makers alike around the state of Minnesota."

"Chief Potts’ commitment to professional standards, innovative thinking, and community relations has been invaluable to the City Council and to me," added Verbrugge. "We wish him well in his future pursuits."

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Staff contact

Jamie Verbrugge
City Manager
952-563-8780
jverbrugge@bloomingtonmn.gov

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