Coeur d'Alene names Greg Yeager as next police chief

Coeur d’Alene has chosen Greg Yeager to become its next police chief, giving the department a permanent leader after months of interim command and setting up a summer transition at one of the city’s most visible public-safety posts. Yeager, now deputy chief with Fort Collins Police Services in Colorado, accepted a conditional offer that still depends on a successful background process and is expected to start June 1.

The appointment comes after Lee White’s retirement on January 14, ending 11 years as chief and more than 30 years in law enforcement. The city said White joined the Coeur d’Alene Police Department in 2014 after serving in Mesa, Arizona, and credited his tenure with strengthening community policing, modernizing operations and significantly reducing crime in the city.

Interim City Administrator Ron Jacobson said Yeager stood out in a competitive recruitment process. The city said Yeager brings more than 30 years of law-enforcement experience and that his record reflects integrity, transparency, strong community relationships, operational excellence and a commitment to public safety. Those qualities will be closely watched in a city where the police chief role carries outsized weight in how City Hall communicates with residents about safety and accountability.

Yeager advanced after the city named four finalists and scheduled in-person interviews for March 12. Acting Chief Dave Hagar, who had been running the department during the transition, was also a finalist for the permanent post. The selection closes a recruitment that drew attention well beyond the department because Coeur d’Alene describes itself as the cultural center of Kootenai County and serves a city of more than 57,000 residents.

The job also comes with clear management expectations. The city’s recruitment flyer listed the chief of police salary range at $127,732 to $179,753, plus benefits, and said the chief serves as part of the city’s executive management team, responsible for department programs, policies and long-term planning. With the background process still to be completed, Yeager’s first months will be measured by whether he can steady the department’s leadership, preserve continuity after White’s long tenure and reinforce public trust in the city’s policing decisions.