New Decorah Chief of Police Named

A lieutenant from the Marshalltown Police Department will become the new Chief of Police in Decorah.

Mayor Lorraine Borowski has made the appointment of Patricia Thein, who brings 26 years of police experience to Decorah. Thein started as a patrol officer with the neighboring Waukon Police Department before moving on to Marshalltown, where she advanced to the rank of Lieutenant for a police force serving the town of about 27,000 people.

Out of 16 applicants, Thein was one of four finalists to be interviewed last month for the post, which opened up with the retirement of previous Decorah Police Chief David Smutzler.

Thein is scheduled to be officially sworn in during the July 17th Decorah City Council meeting and is expected to begin her new position on July 19th.