January 5, 2024 - Mayor Tom Henry today announced that Steve Reed will retire as police chief for the City of Fort Wayne effective January 12 and Scott Caudill, deputy chief of the northeast quadrant, will become police chief on January 16.
Reed has led the Fort Wayne Police Department since August 2016 and has been with the FWPD since 1993. Prior to becoming chief, Reed held positions in the FWPD as assistant police chief, director of training at the Fort Wayne Police Academy, deputy chief southwest division, captain of investigative division, sergeant of internal affairs, homicide team sergeant, and detective.
As chief, Reed oversaw several successes that demonstrate Fort Wayne’s commitment to being a safe city.
Highlights of accomplishments under Chief Reed’s leadership:
*Budgeted for having 500 patrol officers, improved clearance rates of homicide cases, reduction in violent crime, implementation of body cameras and drones as first responders, creation of downtown bike patrol, and addition of social workers to the FWPD team as part of the Hope and Recovery Team (HART).
*Expansion of the use of crime analysis to locate concentrations of crime, the types of crimes being committed, and other information to help craft the most effective response
*Enhancement of intelligence gathering by partnering with local representatives of federal law enforcement agencies
*Continuation of improving community relations through outreach programs and working with neighborhoods to build relationships
*A focus on website and social media efforts to enhance services to the public
“Chief Reed has been an outstanding police chief for our City. I’m going to miss him as he brought a lot of positive changes to the FWPD,” said Mayor Henry. “I admire Steve’s commitment and dedication to public service. Public safety is a special calling and Steve has represented our community well with integrity, professionalism, and hard work.”
“It’s been a true honor to lead the FWPD. I want to thank Mayor Henry for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead the department,” said Chief Reed. “The men and women of the Fort Wayne Police Department work tirelessly to help make Fort Wayne the safest city possible. I’ve always admired how our community appreciates and values public safety. It means a lot to me and the entire department. The department will be in good hands moving forward.”
Caudill has been with the FWPD since 1994. He currently serves as deputy chief of the northeast quadrant. He’s also served as captain of the northeast quadrant, sergeant of policy/planning/research, sergeant of uniform operations in all four quadrants, sergeant of vice and narcotics, sergeant of the investigations division, sergeant and patrol officer for the emergency services team, and sergeant and supervisor of the hazardous devices unit.
Additional professional work experiences for Caudill include being a limited term lecturer and adjunct professor at Purdue Fort Wayne’s Department of Criminal Justice and Public Administration. Caudill served in the United States Marine Corps and received an honorable discharge. He is a representative for the State of Indiana as part of the International Chiefs of Police Association’s Midsize Agencies Division.
Caudill holds a Master of Science degree in management with a specialization in organizational leadership from Johns Hopkins University, a certificate of executive leadership and management from the University of Notre Dame, and a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Trine University.
Caudill’s community involvement includes serving as an advisory board member for Greater Fort Wayne Crime Stoppers, a board member for the Police Athletic League (PAL), an advisory board member for Allen County Community Corrections, a youth baseball coach for 15 years, and a PAL football coach for four years.
“Scott is prepared and ready to be our next police chief. I’m impressed with his years of service in several different capacities with the FWPD and the leadership and communication skills that he possesses,” said Mayor Henry. “Scott’s ability to bring out the best in people and his strong demonstration of commitment to Fort Wayne position him to be an excellent leader of our police department.”
“I’m humbled to be in this position to serve as the next police chief for Fort Wayne. I’m grateful for this opportunity and look forward to beginning this new journey to serve this great community,” said Deputy Chief Caudill. “Residents of Fort Wayne can depend on the FWPD to continue to provide timely and effective public safety services.”