The WKU Police Department has named patrol captain, Mitch Walker, as the department’s new interim chief. 

Walker has had 26 years of law enforcement experience and will assume his duties on Friday, Aug. 12, following the retirement of Chief Robert Deane, according to a release from WKU News. 

The search for a permanent chief is also slated to begin immediately. 

Walker said he plans to meet with all the department’s officers to discuss roles and responsibilities, budgetary items and the implementation of changes, some of which were outlined in a recent review commissioned by Brian Kuster, vice president for student affairs. 

As the Herald previously reported, the report found that the department “needs to be reorganized, rebuild relationships with other local police agencies, and improve working conditions and communication for officers and other employees.”

“In moving forward, I will use the assessment as a guide to make immediate changes within the department, both short- and long-term, in order to establish a solid foundation for the organization,” Walker said in the release.