After receiving unanimous endorsements from the city’s interview panels, 41-year-old Nate Elledge, most recently the commander of the county’s 9-1-1 center in Renton, has been selected by City Manager Ben Yazici to be the city’s next police chief.
Elledge, who will start his new job on June 1, has also served as a patrol officer, a detective sergeant on the Green River Task Force, and a captain in Maple Valley’s Precinct Three.
“Chief Elledge has a spotless 20-year record with the King County Sheriff’s Office,” Yazici said. “He comes highly recommended, has all the qualifications you could want, and believes in the community-oriented policing approach we value so much.”
Like several other cities, Sammamish contracts for police services with the sheriff’s office.
Elledge said Sammamish is considered a plum assignment.
“I really wanted this job,” Elledge said. “The city has a low crime rate, and the police department gets a lot of support from both the city staff and the community.”
In a recent community survey, 393 Sammamish residents were asked how safe they felt walking alone in their neighborhood after dark.
Of those who expressed an opinion, 91.6 percent said they felt “safe or very safe.”
“We’re going to do everything we can to keep it that way,” Elledge said. “We have excellent officers here and a supportive community, so we’re planning on continued success.”
Elledge, who is married with three kids, is originally from the San Francisco bay area. Asked what he looks forward to the most when he heads for work, he didn’t hesitate.
“I love interacting with the community,” Elledge said. “Whether it’s residents, school officials, business people or my fellow employees, I look forward to talking, listening and solving problems.”
Elledge follows in the footsteps of Brad Thompson, who served a three-year stint as the city’s police chief.
Earlier this year, Thompson requested a transfer to Precinct Three in Maple Valley, a move that shortened his commute and allowed him to spend more time with his family.
