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MILLS, Wyo. — Beginning Monday, the Mills Police Department will have a new chief at the helm in Kate Acord.
Originally from the town of Encampment, Acord became interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement at a young age, later earning her degree in criminal justice and psychology from the the University of Wyoming.
Acord joined the Mills Police Department shortly after finishing her schooling, and she has remained with the local department for the last 13 years.
Since joining the department, Acord has taken on a variety of responsibilities and roles. Over the years, she has served as a patrol officer and supervisor, field training officer, public information officer, K9 handler, detective and lieutenant.
Looking back on her service with the department, the new chief said working as a K9 officer was one of the most rewarding experiences in her career, though she added that she will call on all of her experience in law enforcement as she steps into her biggest role yet.
“I was super lucky to be a K9 handler early in my career,” she said. “It’s a job that very much keeps you humble. You work with another living being and it requires a lot of teamwork, and it teaches you a lot about respect and basically all the things that I think are necessary in being a good leader, actually.”
Mills Mayor Leah Juarez said it’s partly Acord’s ability to wear so many hats for the department that made her such an ideal candidate for the position of chief.
“She knows our police department inside and out,” Juarez said.
Since joining the Mills PD, Acord has also served as a member of Natrona County’s peer support team, which focuses on mental health among responders. Looking to the future, she said she hopes to make mental health a point of emphasis for the department.
“Law enforcement as a job is challenging, and a lot of officers witness a lot of really terrible things and go through a lot of critical incidents,” Acord said. “I want to keep that as a focus stepping into this role, making sure officers have what they need and making mental health a priority.
“I want to take care of our officers and invest in the people who come to work here every day.”
In addition to the emphasis on mental health, Acord said her goals for her tenure as chief include strengthening bonds with the community and community partners.
“I want the people of Mills to feel connected to us, and that we’re connected to them,” she said.
Acord added that the department recently received a grant for additional training for incidents of domestic violence.
“Those can be very complex situations, and they need to be handled proactively and with a lot of care,” she said. “So I’m excited for this grant that will help us better recognize the signs, respond effectively in the moment and support victims throughout the process.”
Acord’s promotion comes as part of a wider shakeup of city officials. Recently, longtime Mills building inspector Kevin O’Hearn announced his retirement, and former Police Chief Bryan Preciado, who himself was retiring from the police force, agreed to move into the role. With Preciado serving as the city’s new building inspector, Juarez said Acord was the first option to become the next police chief.
“I think it speaks to the wonderful city staff we have,” Juarez said. “We’re lucky to have someone like [Preciado], who already knows a lot about building codes and what it entails, and that he said yes to the job. And with the knowledge and expertise that Chief Acord brings to the position, I feel fully confident in her.”
