There will be a new sheriff, er chief, in town next March. Police Chief Chris Hurst is retiring, and the City of Lowell is on the hunt for the next head of the Lowell Police Department.
The hiring decision lies with City Manager Mike Burns, and he has whittled the applicants down to two. Those individuals are both currently employed by the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, live nearby and have connections to Lowell.
On Monday, the two candidates were on the Lowell Showboat for a meet-and-greet event with members of the community. On Tuesday, they sat down for interviews with a panel of city officials and other local leaders. Burns says he will take feedback from the panel into consideration when he decides who to offer the job.
While a decision may have already been made, the community probably won’t know until later in the month after a background investigation has been completed. Burns told Lowell’s First Look he hopes to have that investigation done before Christmas.
In the meantime, here’s a brief look at the two finalists.
Dennis Albert
A lifetime resident of the area, Dennis Albert is a lieutenant with the Kent Country Sheriff’s Office. The 48-year-old has spent 26 years on the force and says he was drawn to law enforcement as a way to help people.
“That’s stuck with me my whole career,” he says.
In 2011, he was named the Deputy of the Year for law enforcement and was cited for having an exemplary work ethic and leadership skills.
“I think my experience as an officer and an administrator will be valuable,” Albert says. He describes the LPD as a “good department” and knows many of the officers on the force. He says he would like to be a part of helping the department fulfill its mission in the years to come.
Albert lives between Belding and Lowell with his wife and four children. His oldest child attends Lowell High School.
Dale DeKorte
Dale DeKorte has 33 years of law enforcement experience and has worked for the Manton Police Department, Ionia Department of Public Safety and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. He notes that he is still a deputy because he was the arson dog handler for the Sheriff’s Office, and he needed to remain a deputy if he wanted to continue in that role.
DeKorte was also technically an officer with the Lowell Police Department for two days at the start of his career prior to landing his first job. Growing up in the area, DeKorte would ride along regularly with Lowell officer Cal Kamphuis as part of the Explorer program.
“I’ve always been about the service,” he says. “It’s all about integrity and respect. It’s the only thing you can give away and never get back.”
The 54-year-old says that he has spent a lot of time in Lowell and regularly responds to calls in the area. His arson dog, Ritzey, retired in 2022, and now DeKorte says he is ready to look for new opportunities closer to home.
DeKorte lives in Belding with his wife and son.
After the new year, we will have a longer profile of the person selected as the new Chief of Police.
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