Capt. Dennis Quinn will be the next chief of the Fort Dodge Police Department.

On Friday afternoon, Fort Dodge City Manager David Fierke announced his choice to replace current Chief Roger Porter, who will be retiring in early April.

Quinn’s appointment must also be approved by the Fort Dodge City Council. The council’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday evening. If the council approves the appointment, Quinn will assume command of the FDPD when Porter retires on April 5.

Quinn has been with the Fort Dodge Police Department since 2008. After working many years in construction, at age 30, Quinn decided to make a career change and become a police officer.

Quinn served as a patrol officer until he was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2015. He served in that role until he was promoted to patrol lieutenant in July 2017. In January 2020, he became lieutenant of the Criminal Investigations Division, until he was promoted to his current role as captain of CID in November 2020.

In addition to his role with the FDPD, Quinn has served with the joint FDPD and Webster County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Emergency Response Team. He is currently the commander of SERT.

Quinn, a Fort Dodge native and graduate of St. Edmond Catholic High School, attended Iowa Central Community College and the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. In 2015, he completed the FBI’s Leadership Trilogy training and just last month earned a school of police staff and command certificate from the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety.