Welcome to the Bellevue Police Department website and thank you for taking the time to learn more about our organization. The talented and dedicated men and women of our department are honored to serve Bellevue, and I have the great privilege of serving them as their police chief.
The Bellevue Police Department serves an ever-growing population in the third largest (and best) city in Nebraska. Our staff includes approximately 100 sworn police officers – in numerous divisions and operational units, as well as numerous civilian staff members and dedicated volunteers – who are all focused on our core values of Integrity, Courage, and Service. Our officers and staff have a primary focus of responding to the community’s public safety needs, and doing so in the most effective and efficient ways – as stewards of safety in a fiscally responsible way. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our citizens and visitors, helps provide security and prosperity within our great community.
The Bellevue community has a city administration – which includes a city administrator, mayor, and city council who are dedicated to a relentless pursuit of improvement and public safety. At the Police Department, we share this commitment and encourage you to share your innovative ideas to improve our police services. Please feel free to contact me by email or phone with suggestions or comments. I can be reached by office phone at 402-293-3048 or by email at ken.clary@bellevue.net.
As your police chief, I strive to connect with the community, maintain open lines of communication, foster an atmosphere of transparency, and work collaboratively in order to meet the needs of the community. We encourage community members to participate in our numerous community-related programs and safety events hosted by our Department. You can also follow those efforts on our department Facebook and/or Twitter (@bellevuepolice).
I thank you for taking the time to visit our website and for your continued support and partnership with our agency. It is my great honor to serve you, and the great members of the Bellevue Police Department. I am honored to be a member of, and to serve, such a wonderful community.
Chief Ken Clary
Chief Clary’s Background:
Ken was sworn in as the Bellevue Police Chief on September 1, 2020. Ken came to the City of Bellevue with over 26 years of experience having worked for the Iowa State Patrol since 1994. Throughout his career with the State Patrol he served in a variety of roles including District Commander, Statewide Tactical Commander, Assistant Operations Commander, Professional Standards Bureau, and CALEA Accreditation Coordinator. For the last five years he has served in his current assignment as an Area Commander (Captain).
Ken received his Master in Public Administration degree from Upper Iowa University, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Nebraska Omaha. He was selected by the National Institute of Justice as a Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Scholar (where he served from 2016-2019). He also graduated from the FBI National Academy (Session 269), completed the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) – Leadership in Police Organizations training, and Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command. He currently serves as an Executive Fellow for the National Police Foundation, as the Board Co-Chair for the IACP – Police Research Advancement Section, and was inducted into the Center for Evidence-Based Policing Hall of Fame in 2019.
Ken has also served his community as a Special Olympics Torch Run Volunteer for several years. He currently serves as the Board Chair for the Food Bank of Iowa. Ken has been awarded the Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Award on two occasions for his philanthropic efforts (2014 and 2016).