New Police Chief Sworn in to Office

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT

The city’s new Police Chief, Ronda Wallace, has held her new position for almost a month, but Thursday night she was officially sworn into office.
“And that I will faithfully and honestly, that I will faithfully and honestly, perform the duties of chief of police, perform the duties of chief of police, so help me god, so help me god. Congratulations. Thank you.”

That was City Clerk Debra Marlar administering the oath of office to Wallace during Thursday’s regular city council meeting. City Mayor Pat Branson said it is a Kodiak tradition to administer the police chief’s oath of office during a public ceremony.
Former police chief, T.C. Kamai, was also at Thursday’s meeting and took part in another Kodiak tradition – presenting the chief with their new insignia, or emblem.
“It is the custom within the culture of the Kodiak Police Department that an outgoing chief present his rank insignia to the incoming chief. So we’d like to do that tonight and I’ve asked Chief Wallace’s husband to assist me in doing this. It’s my hope that these insignia bring you as much courage, wisdom and luck as they brought me.”
Kamai retired from the police department in September after 25 years of service.