Troxel hired as Tillamook Police Chief

Tillamook City Manager Nathan George announced at a city council meeting on July 1 that he had selected Nick Troxel to serve as the city’s new police chief.

Troxel has been with the Tillamook Police Department since 2003, working his way up through the ranks from patrol officer and most recently filling the position of acting chief of police.

“I was pleased to offer the position of police chief to Nick Troxel,” George wrote in a statement. “Not only has he worked hard to serve our city and community for over two decades, but he was the top candidate in a very robust application and interview process.” Troxel was selected from among three finalists who participated in an interview with stakeholders and George the week prior to the meeting.

Troxel takes over after serving as the acting chief of police for the department since May 2023, when his predecessor, Raymond Rau, was placed on leave following an admission that he had tampered and removed evidence from the department’s property room. Rau eventually pled no contest to two counts of official misconduct related to the incident in April of this year and was terminated from the department.

After beginning his career with the Corvallis Police Department and a brief stint with the Oregon State Police, Troxel moved to Tillamook in 2002, working first as a patrol officer, before spending time as a school resource officer and detective. Troxel became a sergeant in 2021 and lieutenant in 2022.

“I have enjoyed working with Chief Troxel and have been impressed by all the hard work that he has done over the past several years to prepare himself to serve in such an important role,” George wrote. “I know that with his leadership our police department will continue to serve as a high performing and excellent law enforcement agency.”

Troxel said that he wanted to reassure the community that the department was in a strong position and had a good team on board. He said that he hoped to foster a calm, safe and inclusive environment as chief.

“I encourage our team at the Police Department, and our community to approach our roles with a renewed commitment to transparency, professionalism and community engagement,” Troxel wrote in a statement. “ I am truly humbled to have been provided with this opportunity to serve in the role of Chief of Police.”