Sgt. Shane Bland has been appointed the Sterling Police Department’s new deputy chief of operations.

The announcement was made during the Sterling City Council meeting Monday, Oct. 6. Bland is filling the position previously held by Pat Bartel, who was recently named the SPD’s new police chief following the retirement of previous chief Alex Chavira, who retired Sept. 20.

Bland officially started his new role Oct. 1. As deputy chief, he will help oversee day-to-day police operations, supervise command staff within the patrol and detective units, and assist in guiding the department’s strategic and training initiatives under the leadership of Chief Bartel.

“About 14 months ago, Shane came to myself and to Chief Chavira, asking for advice to personally better himself in the hope of being a better supervisor and for any possible future roles at [the] SPD,” Bartel said. “Shane then took it upon himself, on his own time, and on his own dime, to follow some of those suggestions, and enrolled in college-level courses... to seek that improvement. For these and many other reasons, Shane has been chosen to continue to lead and serve the SPD with the integrity and professionalism that such a role requires and that the citizens of Sterling deserve.”

Bland has served with the SPD since March 2008 and was promoted to sergeant in August 2022, where he led officers as a patrol supervisor.

Throughout his 17-year career, Bland has taken on a variety of leadership and specialized roles within the department. He has served as a detective officer in charge (DOIC), field training officer, firearms instructor, firearms range supervisor, and Gracie-certified control tactics instructor. He is also a Taser instructor and certifier.

Bland has been a longtime member of the Twin Cities SWAT Team, where he has served as both team leader and now as the team commander.