Rehaume chosen as Othello PD chief
New Othello Police Chief Dave Rehaume, left, shakes hands with Othello Mayor Shawn Logan after the swearing-in ceremony. Rehaume had served as interim chief after former chief Phil Schenck retired from the force in May.
CHERYL SCHWEIZER/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Dave Rehaume’s chief’s badge is pinned on by his wife Amanda. Rehaume has served in law enforcement for more than three decades.
OTHELLO — Dave Rehaume, a 34-year veteran of the Othello Police Department who was named interim chief in May, was hired and sworn in as chief during the Othello City Council meeting Monday. The council's vote to hire Rehaume was unanimous.
Rehaume said law enforcement is a demanding job, what he called “the weight of the badge,” and it’s as demanding now as it’s ever been. He said his goal is for OPD officers to hold themselves to a high standard of behavior, and have a common purpose.
“Everyone who works for the department is a patrol officer,” he said. “They’re a patrol officer - maybe with a different rank, with different responsibilities, but you’re a patrol officer. It’s an honor and a privilege to be a patrol officer for the city of Othello with the temporary rank and responsibility of being police chief.”
Rehaume is an Othello native. He worked as a dispatcher before being hired as a patrol officer with the OPD in 1989, later becoming a sergeant. He was named assistant chief in 2015.
Rehaume replaces Phil Schenck, who retired in May and took a teaching job at Othello High School.
Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said he’s known Rehaume since they were fellow students at OHS, and later when they were students at Central Washington University.
“Dave’s focus was on a law and justice degree, and mine was on business,” Logan said. “Who could’ve known what was in store for both of us in the future.”
Logan said Rehaume has always taken his job seriously.
“Dave has been known in this community for solving crimes, arresting people and writing tickets when they deserved it, and giving mercy to those that merited,” Logan said.
Rehaume has worked on a lot of OPD’s community programs, he said, and been committed to them.
“Every organization or program Dave was involved with became better because of his passion and hard work for the community,” Logan said.
Rehaume laid out some of his goals for the department in a meeting with the mayor prior to his hiring, Logan said. Those include encouraging collective leadership in the department and promoting from within.
“Continue to improve cooperation between OPD and county agencies,” Logan added. “(And) crime prevention, detection and apprehension including patrol emphasis on speeding.”
Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.
