Our speaker this week is Eric Schmitz our new chief of police for the City of Lenexa.
Schmitz brings 27 years of service with the Lenexa Police Department to his role as chief of police, where he will lead a team of nearly 150 sworn and civilian personnel and serve as a member of the City of Lenexa’s executive leadership team.
Schmitz is the fifth individual to serve as Lenexa’s police chief, succeeding Chief Dawn Layman, who retired from Lenexa following a distinguished 32-year career in law enforcement.
Schmitz began his career as a deputy sheriff with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in 1997. He joined the Lenexa Police Department as a patrol officer in 1998. His career includes assignments as a police canine handler and master police officer, followed by promotions through the ranks of corporal, sergeant in patrol and investigations, captain and major. He was appointed deputy chief of police in December 2023.
Schmitz is a graduate of the 292nd Class of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. His education also includes applied science in law enforcement from Range Technical College and criminal justice administration from Columbia Southern University. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Kansas Police Officers Association, the Metro Chiefs and Sheriffs Association and the FBI National Academy Associates.
Throughout his service with the Lenexa Police Department, Schmitz has provided executive leadership across a wide range of functions, including operations, investigations and administration. He has overseen major initiatives related to staffing, technology enhancements and organizational development, and brings extensive experience managing complex budgets, personnel and community policing efforts.
