Henderson, Nev. – City Manager Mary Kay Peck announced the selection of Jutta Chambers as the new city of Henderson Chief of Police. Chief Chambers, a 24-year veteran of the department, becomes the 11th police chief in the department’s 55-year history.

Chief Chambers has served or supervised every aspect of the nationally accredited city of Henderson Police Department including patrol, technical services, narcotics, and investigations, demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of the department operations, budgeting, and customer service. She will earn an annual salary of $167,235.

“The safety of the people of Henderson has always been the first priority of this city council, so entrusting the police department’s leadership is a critical decision to us,” Henderson Mayor James B. Gibson said. “Chief Chambers has devoted more than half her life to helping protect the people of Henderson. We support her and know that she will continue to do an outstanding job for the city as she takes over the leadership of the police department.”

Chief Richard Perkins announced his retirement earlier this summer. His last day will be September 5. Chief Chambers will be acting chief until September 8, when she assumes the duties as chief. The Henderson City Council is scheduled to ratify her appointment at the September 16 meeting. Chief Chambers becomes the first female to serve the community as police chief.

“While it is noteworthy that Chief Chambers is the first woman to lead the Henderson Police Department, she was chosen because she possesses the ability to lead the growing police department along with her already proven dedication to the citizens of this community,” City Manager Mary-Kay Peck said. “I have seen first hand her leadership abilities and am confident the Henderson Police Department is in very good hands.”

After completing her four-year tour of duty with the U.S. Air Force, Chief Chambers joined the Henderson Police Department in September 1983 becoming the first female police officer to serve. She was a patrol officer, a K-9 officer and she spent a year as an undercover narcotics officer. She was promoted to sergeant in 1993, lieutenant in 1997, captain in 2001 and named deputy chief in 2005.

“I am honored to be named police chief for the city of Henderson. I am proud of the hard work the men and women of the Henderson Police Department do every day. They make the Henderson Police Department one of the finest in the country,” Chambers said. “I will work hard to maintain the department’s fine tradition of protecting and helping Henderson’s citizens and visitors.”

When Chief Chambers joined the Henderson Police Department in 1983 there were about 30 police officers. She will be the chief over a department of 391 police officers, almost 50 corrections officers and more than 150 civilian employees.

Chief Chambers is a graduate of Nevada State College with a bachelor’s degree in public administration in law enforcement. She is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. She is currently working toward her master’s degree in justice management from the University of Nevada, Reno.

The City of Henderson Police Department is among a select group of some 500 agencies worldwide to achieve accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). CALEA accreditation indicates an agency has met the highest and most strict standards for police policies and procedures in the nation and the world. Accredited since 2002, the city of Henderson Police Department received CALEA reaccreditation in March 2008. There are approximately 18,000 police agencies in the United States.

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