Highland Village appoints police chief

Douglas Reim will officially begin serving as the City of Highland Village police chief on Sept. 2 after council members recently approved his appointment.

“Chief Reim is professionally committed to our Community Policing model, a commitment in preserving and developing a high standard quality of life both internally for his officers and for residents of Highland Village; I know his visionary view and thoughts on policing programs will advance the HVPD to a progressive and creative law enforcement agency for the future of this City,” City Manager Michael Leavitt said in a news release.

Chief Reim brings significant experience to his new position, having served as a police chief in Westworth Village since 2006. Prior to Westworth Village, Reim answered the call for anti-terrorism special agents after the 9/11 attacks and served as Assistant to the Chief of Police in the United States Air Force Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth from 2001-2006. Reim worked in law enforcement as a narcotics investigator and a police officer from 1993-2001 and served in the United States Air Force from 1984-1993.

City officials began their search for a police chief in April 2014 after former police chief Ed O’Bara retired. More than 40 applications for the position were received by the city, which used the Texas Police Chief’s Association screening committee to recommend candidates for further consideration. The city manager met with the six top contenders recommended by the committee and narrowed the candidate pool to three individuals. Panel interviews were conducted for the three final candidates and Reim was selected as the best candidate for the city of Highland Village.

“I would like to recognize Assistant Chief Mark Stewart for his leadership as interim chief for the last five months. He, Commander Schlichter and Commander Morrison have done an excellent job in maintaining the community policing model in serving and protecting our citizens,” Leavitt said. “During this process it was brought to my attention by the area policing community that the Highland Village Police Department is the best small police department in the state of Texas. This further validates the work done by our police department and the community in making Highland Village a safe place to live.”

A welcoming reception for Chief Reim will be held in conjunction with the Highland Village Business Association’s Community Coffee at 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 2. The location and details will be announced soon.