OGDEN —- There is a new man in charge of the Ogden City Police Department.
Ogden Police Lt. Mike Ashment is the city administration’s choice to be the next chief of police. The city council unanimously voted to appoint him at Tuesday night’s council meeting.
“It’s certainly going to be a lot of work, but I’m excited to get to it,” Ashment said after he was appointed. “This kind of opportunity doesn’t come along very often.”
Mayor Mike Caldwell said Ashment was chosen because he has a balance of experience and initiative.
“He’s proven to be proactive and create solutions,” Caldwell said. “And he had a clear vision of what he would do in the department.”
Ashment, 48, has been with the Ogden Police Department for 26 years. Previous to his post as chief, he commanded the department’s investigations bureau.
A lifelong resident of Weber County, Ashment graduated from Weber High School in 1982. He later attended Weber State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
He began working with the OPD in 1986 and earned a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix in 2000.
Ashment’s hire was made with the help of an independent committee of law enforcement experts with experience in Weber County and the Ogden area. The committee reviewed the city’s pool of candidates and made a recommendation to the administration.
The city received a total of 31 applications for the chief position.
“It wasn’t an easy choice, but (Ashment’s) track record and experience is what separated him from the rest of the field,” Caldwell said.
The police chief opening comes after former Chief Jon Greiner was fired in December because of a federal Hatch Act violation involving federal grants and his candidacy and service as a state senator. Greiner served as chief for 16 years.
Ashment started his comments to the city council by publicly thanking Greiner.
“(Greiner) was a mentor for me in many respects,” Ashment said.
Ashment also thanked Deputy Chief Wayne Tarwater, who spent nearly three months serving as interim chief after Greiner’s dismissal.
Ashment praised Tarwarter’s direction and leadership in the aftermath of the January shooting that killed officer Jared Francom and wounded five others.
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