WHITE: Thanks for model leadership

On the retirement of Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White, I want to first thank Chief White for his extraordinary and professional service to the residents of Coeur d’Alene in keeping us safe and informed daily. Second, he created a first-class department as the mentor to the entire department. Third, he effectively used modern technology and a data-driven system that resulted in major reductions of crime in our city over the years. Fourth, upon a tip from a citizen, he moved quickly to arrest an outside extremist group that was armed headed to city park.

Today the Coeur d’Alene Police Department is a model for police departments across the United States due to Chief White’s leadership.

During Mayor Steve Widmyer’s very successful eight years in office, one of the best decisions he ever made was the hiring of Lee White.

In the past 45 years we members of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations’ Board of Directors have had many opportunities to engage with law enforcement at all three levels of government in our work to combat hate crimes and provide justice for the victims. Here are two examples:

KCTFHR board member the late Larry Broadbent as Kootenai County Undersheriff discovered the dangerous Order I and reported his discover to Special FBI Agent Wayne Manis that resulted in the end of that criminal enterprise that included the conviction of over 20 dangerous criminals. During their reign of terror, they committed numerous felonies and declared war on the United States.

In the mid 1980s, Order II targeted the KCTFHR president Father Bill Wassmuth’s setting off a bomb at his home hoping to kill him. They were convicted of the crime and sent to prison.

I know all board members of our KCTFHR join me in especially thanking Chief White for his many years of service to our city and our many friends in law enforcement including prosecutors over the decades.

TONY STEWART

Coeur d’Alene