Meet the new Burns Police Chief Community News January 25, 2023January 25, 20230 by Steve Macartney for the Burns Times-Herald Burns Police Chief Steve Macartney. (Submitted photo) My name is Steve Macartney. I’m honored to be the new chief of the Burns Police Department. I hold basic, intermediate, advanced, supervisory, and management police certificates through the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. I was formerly the administrative sergeant at the McMinnville Police Department, which employs more than 50 sworn and non-sworn employees. I have also worked for the Avon Park Police Department, a small agency in Florida (serving under 12,000 residents) and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, in both a small contract city (under 2,500 residents) and on rural patrol. I have a broad skill set in interacting with citizens and government in varied environments. My goal is to lead the Burns Police Department into the future, while communicating effectively and building relationships with our community. I will lead, motivate, and train our police officers to serve respectfully and skillfully in upholding the laws of our nation, state, and community, while acting with compassion and empathy to, not only respond to community challenges, but exhibit faith that our decisions and actions will be part of solving those challenges. I believe in being in public and leading for my citizens and my team members. My wife, Heather, and I have four children, but we are now empty nesters. We enjoy our time outside on our farm, raising and training Welsh Ponies of COB type. We are both looking forward to moving and reestablishing our farm and being members of the Harney County community.