Idaho Falls swears in new Chief of Police

Bryce Johnson was sworn in as Idaho Falls’ new Chief of Police by Mayor Rebecca Casper Thursday night. Johnson comes to Idaho Falls from Juneau, Alaska where served as Chief of Police for 4 years. “The public safety challenges in Juneau are somewhat unique to the area because of Alaska’s geography,” explained Chief Johnson. “The area is still suffering from the impact of a financial crisis due to plummeting oil prices. When it came to the budget, I focused on creating a balance between maintaining fiscal responsibility and ensuring the safety of the community was not compromised.” Prior to his work in Juneau, Johnson spent 21 years with the Salt Lake City Police Department. He also served 8 years in the United States Naval Reserve as an intelligence analyst. Johnson succeeds Mark McBride who officially retired from the post on Thursday. A reception for McBride is scheduled from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Carr Gallery in the Willard Arts Center Friday.