Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Thursday appointed a new chief of the U.S. Park Police, shuffling leadership of an agency that’s been part of the Trump administration’s dramatic expansion of the federal law enforcement presence in the nation’s capital.
The new chief, Scott Brecht, has a 22-year career at the Interior Department. He recently held a leadership role at the Park Police as deputy chief commander of the Field Operations Division, putting him at the helm of the effort to ramp up law enforcement deployment in Washington.
“Chief Scott H. Brecht brings a proven record of leadership, community engagement and tactical expertise,” said Burgum in a statement. “In a time when public safety on federal lands is more critical than ever, I’m confident he will lead with integrity, vision and an unwavering commitment to the mission of the U.S. Park Police.”
Brecht is a winner of the National Award for Bravery, from the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, according to an Interior Department news release. He is a graduate of Penn State University and the FBI National Academy, according to his biography on the National Park Service website.
