GREEN RIVER — The Green River City Council said goodbye to Green River Police Chief Tom Jarvie Tuesday, April 18, as Jarvie has retired from the position after 31 years with the police department.

Jarvie’s last day with the Green River Police Department (GRPD) was April 14, and Police Captain Shaun Sturlaugson has been appointed Interim Chief of Police.

Jarvie was born and raised in Green River, and after serving in the U.S. Army, he returned to his hometown when he heard of an opening in the GRPD. In an article Jarvie did with SweetwaterNOW in 2020, he said that it was his childhood dream to be a police officer.

His career in law enforcement was a progressive one, in which he continued to challenge himself as he climbed the ranks. He started at the GRPD as Police Officer 1 on December 9, 1991, and moved to Police Officer 2 the following year. By May 1997 he became Police Officer 3, and continued to move through the ranks becoming Corporal in July 1998. Jarvie became Patrol Sergeant in June 2003 for 10 months before getting experience as a Sergeant in Investigations. He did that for many years until becoming Police Lieutenant in 2012. 

City Administrator Reed Clevenger said that in conversations he had with former Police Chief Chris Steffan, Steffan was keen to see Jarvie continue down this path in his career and his progression within law enforcement. Steffan retired in 2017 and Jarvie was selected to take over as interim police chief. He took over the role officially in 2018.

“Through our succession planning and seeing Tom’s proven history of leadership in both [the] patrol and investigations divisions, along with his visions of continued development of the Green River Police Department, this made him the ideal candidate for the interim police chief,” Clevenger said. “Three months later, seeing I could work with him and his dry quirky sense of humor, and after he convinced me he would give me at least three years, he became the police chief in 2018.”

Clevenger noted that Jarvie ultimately served in the position for five years.

“In the position, Tom helped bring continuity to the job and his wealth of experience and knowledge contributed highly to the success of the department and his team,” Clevenger said.

According to Clevenger, Jarvie led the police department in becoming more communicative and transparent. He said Jarvie has always worked well with department heads, the courts, and the Councils, and was well respected by all.

“His focus was steadfast on the values of the department and are a testament to his character, and it sums him up as an individual and a leader,” Clevenger said. “Selfless service, unwavering integrity, excellence always with fairness, transparency, and respect. We’re going to miss him, it was a pleasure to work with him.”

Mayor Pete Rust and the Council members thanked Jarvie for his 31 years of service, and presented him with a service plaque that recognized Jarvie for providing public safety to the community. 

“My wife and her sister went to school with Tom, and it’s just as simple as this, they just said, ‘he’s just a good guy’,” Mayor Rust said.