The city of Durango named Cmdr. Bob Brammer as its interim police chief Thursday.

“Cmdr. Brammer has served with distinction as a commander and sergeant with the Durango Police Department,” said City Manager Ron LeBlanc in a news release. “He has earned the respect of members of the department as well as other law enforcement agencies.”

LeBlanc said he met with all the commanders and sergeants in the department, and it became apparent Brammer was the most prepared and ready to assume the police chief duties.

He recently returned from the FBI Academy, LeBlanc said.

“He’s a good leader. He’s level-headed, has good judgment and high standards,” LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc said the city will advertise for a permanent police chief after New Year’s Day with an aim to hire a permanent police chief in spring. The search will focus on the Rocky Mountain area, he said.

Brammer brings more than 20 years experience to the position, 13 of which have been in increasing leadership roles within the Durango Police Department.

Brammer is scheduled to complete a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Colorado State University in May of 2019.

The search for a new chief will be conducted in-house by city staff.

Former Chief Kamran Afzal, from Pakistan by way of Springfield, Virginia, started with the Durango Police Department in April 2017. He is departing to be closer to his family on the East Coast.

“The whole thing is because of my personal situation,” he said earlier this month from Virginia. “It’s bittersweet. I’m glad to be back with the family, but I’m sad to leave Durango.”

Afzal replaced Jim Spratlen, who retired in September 2016 after being police chief for five years.

Afzal said he is proudest of the community engagement he initiated in the department. When he started with the agency, Afzal created a community engagement unit with officers dedicated to working with residents.

parmijo@durangoherald.com