Police chief retires law enforcement credentials

SCOTTSBLUFF -- Friends, officers and court officials and family were invited to celebrate the retirement of Scottsbluff Police Chief Kevin Spencer today.

Chief Spencer said he is not leaving the City of Scottsbluff; he is retiring his law enforcement credentials.

"I'm retiring my law enforcement credentials. We'll find a new chief; probably have them in place in February or early March, and then I'll be the city manager," Spencer said at the December 31 surprise party.

Spencer has been serving as police chief an city manager since February 2022.

Spencer traces his history to the Gering-Scottsbluff area, working at the Scottsbluff Police Department could be called completing the journey home.

"I was born and raised in Gering, and then left for 20 years. So I started law enforcement, in a town called Great Bend, Kan., and I was there for eight years. I moved over to Pawnee County, Kan. They recruited me over. I was a detective in Great Bend and they needed a detective over in Pawnee County," he said.

From Pawnee County, he took a chief's job in Morrill, Neb. From Morrill he took a position with the Scottsbluff Police Department, starting as a patrol officer, working his way up the ranks.

"When I started here, in 2001, I really just wanted to do the patrol work. I fell in love with patrol again and I had no intentions of promoting. That was my big plan was just to work at patrol work and be happy and raise my family," Spencer said.

His vision changed when he had to face promotional opportunities. He promoted to the level of chief. He says he started his career late in life: 29-years-old.

"I was always interested in law enforcement, and I wanted to provide a good life for my family. I was always working farm jobs, oil fields, ranches ... stuff like that. I decided it was time for me to go back to college," he said.

He finished his degree and entered law enforcement. He said he wanted to help people in an exciting way, "and that's law enforcement," he said.