Tempe police chief named next director of Arizona Department of Public Safety

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5/AP) -- The Arizona Department of Public Safety has found its next director. Chief Jeffrey D. Glover from the Tempe Police Department will be the next head of DPS. Col. Heston Silbert retired earlier this month from the position. Glover will begin his new position in mid-February, but an exact date hasn’t been announced.

Glover began his law enforcement career as a Mesa police patrol officer in 1998. He first joined Tempe police in October 1999 and held roles in various divisions of the department, including four years as a commander over areas such as the Professional Standards Bureau, Organizational Services Division and Criminal/Special Investigations, and SWAT. He retired as a commander with Tempe in February 2020. But he returned eight months later as interim chief of police and in Aug. 2021, he was appointed to the job full-time. He is the city’s first Black police chief.

Glover is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in science, and holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Phoenix. He was also appointed by former Gov. Doug Ducey as a commissioner for the Arizona Commission on African American Affairs and is the current chairman.

Silbert announced that Jan. 6 would be his last day after serving as director since 2020. Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office said they didn’t intend to keep Silbert as director. He also worked with the Mesa Police Department and Phoenix Police Department.

The Hobbs administration also announced Ryan Thornell, the current Deputy Commissioner of Corrections for the state of Maine, as the new Director of the Arizona Department of Corrections. Hobbs says Thornell, “led significant initiatives that re-envision traditional policies and approaches to incarceration.”

Arizona’s Family has reached out to Tempe Police Department several times to learn who will be taking over as Chief. The department has not returned our requests for comment.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.