City Government
Top Copper Calls It Quits
September 16, 2019 
Boise police Chief Bill Bones announced Monday he will retire effective October 24 after 27 years with Boise PD, four of those years as chief.
Bones told the GUARDIAN he planned to do some foreign travel with his wife, Jen. He also said he had recruited his old boss and mentor, Mike Masterson to serve as interim chief.his recent
Masterson retired four years ago after becoming the longest serving chief in BPD history. His appointment might help explain his recent political endorsement of Dave Bieter’s reelection published in the local press.
First it was former Mayor Brent Coles rising from the ashes like a Phoenix, now Chief Masterson has pinned on the star again.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Sep 16, 2019, 7:34 pm
It sure doesn’t seem right to me that Bones gets to recruit his friend to be an interim Police Dept. head.
Not when the Police Dept, is embroiled in a lawsuit involving a cop selling guns on work time for the Boise PD.
Sure seems to me like someone from completely outside the local Police Dept, needs to be brought in.
EDITOR NOTE–Masterson is tempory until the usual “nationwide search” is completed.
Sep 17, 2019, 8:36 am
I’m extremely glad that Masterson is back even if it is temporary. He ran a tight shift and Boise has been a disaster since he left (or was forced out). These days I play a game counting how many people run red lights, hop lanes multiple times, or otherwise drive recklessly – the count is rarely under 1 per mile driven.
Sep 17, 2019, 8:49 am
Why start with an expensive “nationwide search” for a new top cop? Isn’t that a little like hiring a $10-million library architect from someplace far away, when there might be an architect right here in Boise?
This citizen likes to think there MIGHT be a cop or two already in the ranks, who knows how the Department operates, already has a rapport with his colleagues and lots of experience, and could step into the job, thus bypassing the “nationwide search.”
Sep 17, 2019, 11:51 am
Bad news for Brent Coles. The BPD has been against him ever since he installed an ombudsman with authority to oversee complaints against their actions. Offending any labor union is risky business for a politician.
Sep 17, 2019, 1:40 pm
Katie: I have heard of this one, officer selling guns on-duty, but haven’t seen anything about it do you have a link?
There’s nothing wrong from promoting within a lot of departments do this. A nationwide search means we can get someone from, say California, who might make the PD employee work instead of taking a side gig selling guns.
Sep 18, 2019, 9:03 am
So, He stays long enough to get his high salary years PERSI pension boost. Then He returns the job to the previous administrator whom the Mayor states Boiseans never had any belief in his supervision of the department, it’s officers or their hard work.
Sep 18, 2019, 11:12 am
3 Party Fouls!
An October 31st retirement would have been MUCH more appropriate for Chief Bones.
And he should have an ideal replacement before retiring. An ‘interim’ should be a test-drive.
And Masterson should not accept the idea of a haphazard interim and certainly not being one.
THAT is what deputies are for!
Are the current deputies that s–?
Good leadership finds and develops replacements for their own position. Bad leadership does what is happening now.
Katie says ‘hire from outside’ and Bikeboy says ‘hire from within’.
And the survey says, ___.
bottom line: I have low expectations of BPD.
And from the archives:
Hello Ombudsman?
https://boiseguardian.com/2013/07/08/ombudsman-departure-signals-need-for-police-commission/
# of BPD vehicles being used personally (when is the goofy IFF going to detail this ongoing waste):
https://boiseguardian.com/2013/07/02/cop-cars-how-many-how-much/
Bones hiring:
https://boiseguardian.com/2014/12/22/bones-named-chief-of-bpd/
Good-bye Masterson:
https://boiseguardian.com/2015/01/14/listening-for-10-years-chief-leaves-peaceful-legacy/
Sep 18, 2019, 2:56 pm
My take on this is quite different than the surface story. Bones was not convincing when CH2 reporter Scott Logan asked him why he was leaving and if it had anything to do with the pending lawsuit. Will Masterson really be “interim” or will he be another Bieter appointee for life?
I smell something cooking and it’s not pleasant. Keep this in mind…who do you REALLY trust in the law enforcement institutions of Idaho to investigate corruption? Who has the guts to blow the whistle on a major violation of ethics at the highest levels? You can already see what kind of deep corruption and treason is being uncovered re the Obama Admin in D.C. The MSM ignores and even promotes that kind of corruption. Do you think that Idaho is free from that level of crimes? Think again.
This is a non-partisan issue. Ds and Rs are all tainted with these failures of ethics. We would hope that our LE and legal leaders would be free of such baggage. I know different. You just have to have the guts to admit to yourself that the world is not as innocent as you thought it was.
Sep 20, 2019, 7:08 pm
It does not help Bieter to lose Bones, nor does it hurt him. I think Bones has had a life of cop stress. Cops should retire young. Masterson is taking a Persi bump up. It is a fools choice for him. Ego repair.
Boise does not develop talent. They have cliques. You’re in or you’re not in. With a cop shortage there is no question that talent cannot develop. There is really not a pipeline to pull from in most departments.
150 things to do sounds great and reasonable.