The City of Alliance has named retired Nashville Police Captain David Leavitt as its new police chief. Leavitt will begin work within the next 6 weeks.
He succeeds Phillip Lukens, who resigned in September after nearly 3 years in the post. Lt Kirk Felker has been serving as interim chief.
Alliance City Manager Seth Sorenson says Leavitt was chosen from a strong field of 9 applicants from 6 states – Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, Michigan, New Jersey, and Tennessee.
Leavitt served with the Metro Nashville Police Department for 20 years, retiring in 2021 and joining Solaren Risk Management, which provides security and police personnel in the southeastern United States. He was recently promoted to Operations Manager.
With the Nashville police, Leavitt rose from patrol officer to sergeant, lieutenant, and captain, including a stint with internal affairs. He served as a watch commander and an instructor with the Citizens Police Academy. He also headed the Special Investigations and Surveillance Units as well as the School Resource Officers.
Before going into law enforcement, Leavitt spent 7 years as a paramedic with the Nashville Fire Department before joining the police department in 2001. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration and a master’s in public administration – both from Columbia Southern University.
Alliance used the Government Professional Solutions consulting firm in its search as well as its own Civil Service Commission and a Police Review Board of sheriffs and police chiefs in the Panhandle.