The City of Commerce City today announced the hiring of Darrel Guadnola as the city’s next chief of police. Chief Guadnola will take over leadership of the Commerce City Police Department on March 6, replacing current interim Chief Richard W. Myers.

A lifelong Coloradan who spent part of his childhood in Commerce City, Darrel Guadnola has worked in law enforcement for 27 years. His career started in 1995 as a police officer in neighboring Brighton and he has since served with the Greenwood Village Police Department and most recently the Wheat Ridge Police Department (WRPD). His latest position there was a division chief for the WRPD support services division overseeing investigations, records, training and accreditation, and crime analysis.

“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve this community as chief of police,” said Guadnola. “As a former and future resident of Commerce City, I look forward to strengthening relationships between the community and the police department to address public safety needs as the city continues to grow. I am committed to serving in a manner reflective of the department values of Trust, Respect, Excellence, Leadership, and Restraint. I can’t wait to get to work.”

Prior to becoming a division chief with WRPD, Guadnola was an investigations commander, where he routinely oversaw investigations into officer involved shootings. Guadnola was also instrumental in developing the department’s naloxone program and the development of a full-service computer forensic investigations lab. Other assignments in his Colorado law enforcement career include detective sergeant, field training officer sergeant, crisis negotiations team sergeant, investigator, firearms instructor, and negotiator.

“This position garnered a highly qualified and competitive candidate pool, and we were committed to a comprehensive process,” said City Manager Jason Rogers. “Darrel Guadnola rose to the top during our many evaluations, and I look forward to seeing him take over leadership of the department and help stitch CCPD into the fabric of our neighborhoods. I am confident that he will think progressively and intellectually challenge what it means to police within our community. As the city continues to grow, evolve, and prosper, I am excited to have Chief Guadnola as part of this organization to accomplish what the department needs, and what the community deserves.”

Guadnola holds master’s degrees in both Business Administration and Management from Regis University in Denver, with a graduate certificate in Executive Leadership. His bachelor’s degree in Political Science is from the University of Colorado at Denver.