Coeur d'Alene Names New Fire Chief, Police Chief Search Ongoing

Fire Captain Jake Bieker will become Coeur d'Alene's next fire chief after the City Council voted unanimously to appoint him on March 17, selecting an internal candidate from a pool of 44 applicants to lead a department he first joined in 2002.

Bieker, who rose through the ranks to captain and has experience as a battalion chief, is set to be sworn in April 15, one day before Chief Tom Greif's retirement takes effect. The appointment followed a two-hour council meeting and an hour-long executive session. Bieker and Greif were not available for comment at the time of the vote.

Councilor Christie Wood made clear where she stood. "If you can promote an internal candidate that's been loyal to the city — is a brilliant employee — and someone you have complete confidence in — you should appoint," Wood said. "I fully support Jake Bieker."

Mayor Dan Gookin echoed that sentiment in a press release, saying Bieker "will be ready to step right in and hit the ground running" and that "his experience, integrity, and dedication to this community make him the right person to lead the department forward." The council also cited the integrity of the selection process and the fire department's own work to develop its next leader as reasons for backing an internal promotion.

Bieker's connection to the department spans his entire professional career. He joined the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department in 2002 after serving with the Moscow Volunteer Fire Department while attending the University of Idaho. He has been a member of the technical rescue team since its inception and holds extensive union experience through Coeur d'Alene Firefighters Local No. 710, the Professional Firefighters of Idaho, and the International Association of Firefighters.

The same March 17 meeting produced a far messier outcome on a separate leadership question. The search for a permanent police chief remains unresolved after the council split over Interim City Administrator Ron Jacobson's recommendation to appoint Greg Yeager, a deputy chief with Fort Collins Police Services in Colorado. Councilor Wood moved to reject Jacobson's recommendation; that motion failed on a 2-4 roll call vote. The council's disagreement ultimately required two votes to reach any conclusion.

Mayor Gookin declined to cast what would have been a tiebreaking vote. "I will not be voting," he said. "I will not split the council. We'll continue with the interim chief." When Gookin asked Jacobson for an alternative nomination, Jacobson answered simply, "No," and recommended the city wait until a permanent city administrator is in place before pursuing another candidate. "I recommend waiting until the permanent city administrator is on board and that we continue with Mr. Hagar as the interim chief," Jacobson said.

The city has not announced a timeline for restarting the police chief search.