Shawn M. Reynolds (’04, MA ’06), CEO of Temple, Texas, Police Department, is not only a two-time MNU alum, he also served the university as an adjunct professor teaching the criminal justice course Policing in America. Previously Shawn was the Deputy Chief of Police-Operations for Olathe, Kansas, from 2016 to 2020 and Deputy Chief of Police-Administration from 2014-2016. Reynolds joined the Olathe Police Department in 1996 and rose through the ranks, holding positions of sergeant, lieutenant, captain, detective, undercover operative, field training officer, major, and investigations commander. He also served as an officer with the Leavenworth Police Department from 1994-1996. He became police chief in Temple in June 2020.
In His Own Words
“My experiences at MNU in the bachelor’s and master’s programs, and as an adjunct professor, prepared me well to lead an organization during a time of uncertainty in our country. The challenges experienced during the COVID-19 crisis and during a time when society is calling for police reformation are certainly not without challenges.
As Chief of Police, I am committed to fostering relationships between the Temple Police Department and the community through healthy and productive conversations concerning police and community issues. We are committed to treating each of our citizens equally as we drive hate, discrimination and divisiveness out of our city.
I am humbled and honored to work alongside noble, honorable men and women who want to serve the community. My time working for the City of Olathe will always be some of the most rewarding of my career. The dedicated servants of the Olathe Police Department, and my time spent with them, helped mold my leadership characteristics, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to dedicate a good portion of my adult life to my hometown of Olathe.”
Background
Shawn’s law enforcement experience spans patrol, investigation, narcotics, personnel and training, and community services. He also has military experience in the United States Navy having served aboard the submarine USS Richard B. Russell (SSN-687). Shawn is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy Session 244 and is a previous graduate of Southern Police Institute.
Shawn and Bess have been married thirty years. They have two adult children, daughter Samantha and son Dakota. The Reynolds’ enjoy being grandparents to Tucker (5) and Kaison (3).
