Nick Hurley has been appointed as the next Chief of Police for the Corvallis Police Department. He will succeed outgoing Chief Jon Sassaman upon his retirement on June 30. During the interim period, Hurley will work closely with Sassaman, the Police Department, and the Corvallis community to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
Hurley is a veteran of the Corvallis Police Department and has worked in law enforcement at the state and local level for more than 20 years. He currently holds the rank of Captain at CPD, where he oversees a division responsible for training, evidence, and police records, as well as the Corvallis Regional Communications Center, which provides 9-1-1 emergency communications to Benton County.
Hurley’s background in education – including a degree in American Sign Language and English Interpretation from Western Oregon University and a master’s degree in college administration from Oregon State University – gives him a unique perspective on the responsibilities of providing law enforcement services to the diverse communities that make up a university town like Corvallis.
In 2019 Hurley, who is fluent in American Sign Language, helped develop a training program through the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to help police officers better communicate and engage with people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
As the division captain in charge of the 9-1-1 dispatch center, Hurley was instrumental in developing the framework for the countywide 9-1-1 service district, which passed at the ballot with 61% approval in November 2019.
Hurley is a 2019 graduate of the FBI National Academy. Outside of work, he is a charter fishing boat captain and enjoys spending time on the ocean.
“I am humbled and honored to be appointed the next Chief of Police for the City of Corvallis,” Hurley said. “Over the next few months I will have daily access to Chief Sassaman as we begin the handoff of responsibilities to ensure a smooth transition for the department and the community.”
The leadership transition comes as the Corvallis Police Department enters a new era, with a renewed mandate to focus on community policing and relationship-based law enforcement. CPD is one of just a handful of law enforcement agencies in Oregon to be internationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) – a distinction that Hurley intends to maintain and strengthen.
The appointment was made by City Manager Mark Shepard following Sassaman’s announcement that he would retire in 2020 after a rewarding 32-year career at CPD.
“I am confident that Captain Hurley is the right person to lead the Corvallis Police Department and build on the foundation Chief Sassaman has created,” said Shepard.
Hurley will assume his duties as Police Chief on June 30. A public reception with the community is planned for July.
Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com