For the past 14 months, Ed Owens has led the Emporia Police Department on an interim basis. City Manager Mark McAnarney formally removed the interim tag Thursday afternoon.
Owens was named to the position Thursday 14 months after former chief Scott Cronk formally retired.
Originally from Colorado and a graduate from Fort Hays State in 1989, Owens started his law enforcement career with the Emporia department the following year. He was first assigned to the patrol division and was one of the department’s first bike patrol officers. He was then assigned to narcotics in 2000 and was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2005 before being promoted again to lieutenant in charge of the criminal investigations division in 2009.
Owens tells KVOE News two of his major goals will be continued transparency and increased community outreach.
Owens also says it means a lot to him to lead the department on a permanent basis.
The search for Cronk’s replacement took longer than originally planned, according to McAnarney, due to coronavirus and its ongoing community impact. However, McAnarney says the department ran well under Owens’ leadership.
When Cronk retired, the city said it planned a national search. McAnarney says most of the candidates that applied were regionally-based.
Owens has been decorated several times for his service, including Supervisor of the Year three times, Emporia Police Officer of the year in 2001 and a Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police Bronze Award for Merit winner in 1994. He also graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Class Academy 242 in 2010.
Owens begins his duties immediately.
