Fort Wayne Police Chief Steve Reed is will retire on January 12.
In a statement, Mayor Tom Henry announced Reed’s replacement will be Northeast Quadrant Deputy Chief Scott Caudill.
Reed has been Fort Wayne’s police chief since August 2016. He’s been with the department since 1993, holding a variety of positions from captain of the investigative division to sergeant of internal affairs as well as detective and assistant police chief.
During Reed’s tenure as chief, the Fort Wayne Police Department has expanded to 500 patrol officers, the largest it’s ever been. It’s implemented body cameras, created a downtown bike patrol and added social workers to the department among other things.
“It’s been a true honor to lead the FWPD," Reed said in a statement Friday. "I want to thank Mayor Henry for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead the department,”
In 2020, the Fort Wayne Police Department faced criticism for its handling of Black Lives Matter protests in downtown Fort Wayne.
Caudill has been with the department since 1994. He’s a Marine who was honorably discharged and represents the State of Indiana as part of the International Chiefs of Police Association’s Midsize Agencies Division. He’s served as an advisory board member for Fort Wayne Crime Stoppers and Allen County Community Corrections.
Caudill will be sworn in as chief on Jan. 16.