Edina Police Chief Could Head Lakeville Department

Written by Andrea Parrott and Zac Farber

Edina Police Chief Jeff Long is one of three finalists for Lakeville Police Chief.

Lakeville selected the finalists after interviewing five semi-finalists on Nov. 16. The interview process included representatives from city administration, city council and the police department.

Long has served as the city's police chief for nearly four . He has been a vocal figure in Edina, writing a regular blog and posting thoughts on Twitter.

This is the biography released by the Lakeville Police Department:

Long currently serves as Police Chief for Edina, where he oversees an agency of 51 sworn officers and 24 non-sworn staff. He has 25 years of law enforcement experience, rising through the ranks from patrol officer. He has served as Emergency Management Coordinator for Edina and is past chairperson for the Minnesota Financial Crimes Task Force Advisory Committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement from Metropolitan State University. 

The other two finalists, in alphabetical order, are:

Nathan R. Gove: Commander, Golden Valley Police Department. 

Gove currently serves as Commander for the Golden Valley Police Department. He has 28 years of law enforcement experience, including 20 years with Golden Valley. He has risen through the ranks from patrol officer. As Commander, he currently oversees 39 sworn and non-sworn personnel in the Patrol, Investigative, and Administrative Support divisions. He has a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Gustavus Adolphus and a master’s degree in Public Safety Education & Administration from St. Thomas University. 

Brian P. Peters: Commander, Brooklyn Center Police Department

Peters currently serves as Commander for the Brooklyn Center Police Department. He has 10 years of law enforcement experience, 8 years of private sector management, and six years in the Marine Corp reserves. He rose through the ranks and now oversees a staff of 10 who are responsible for reducing crime and community outreach. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota and has just completed his master’s degree in Police Leadership from St. Thomas University.

Following additional testing and interviews, Lakeville City Administrator Steve Mielke hopes to have a final decision by mid-December. The new police chief would be sworn in by mid-January, according to the city.

Former Lakeville Police Chief Thomas Vonhof retired at the end of September. Sgt. John Kornmann is currently the interim Lakeville Police Chief.