Assistant Chief Dana Powers has officially been appointed the next interim police chief in Bonney Lake.

Mayor Neil Johnson made the announcement Tuesday that Powers was offered and accepted the position and will take over the department when Chief Mike Mitchell retires next month.

Johnson said Powers was “the right person” for the job and he expects her to “shine” in her new role as chief.

“It’s going to be fun to see what she thinks of being chief,” Johnson said in a phone interview Wednesday. “It should be good for all of us.”

Powers will serve as interim chief for a year as a trial basis and Johnson said his plan to name her permanent chief, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

“I’m excited for the chance and the challenge of leading this great department into the future,” Powers said Tuesday.

Powers got her start in police work in Tacoma in 1990 before transferring to the Bonney Lake department in 1992, where she worked as a patrol officer.

Powers said once she came to Bonney Lake she worked with the Metro SWAT team, the city’s bike patrol, the marine services unit, the DARE program and grant-writing. She was promoted to detective, where she remained for six years before being promoted to sergeant by former Interim Police Chief Arthur “Buster” McGehee and then to Assistant Chief under Mitchell.

“In police work, you lay the groundwork for the next step,” Powers said of her years with the department. “I’m always challenged to go to that next step and I learned from a lot of really good people.”

Powers cited former chiefs Don Frazier and Bryan Jeter as well as McGehee and Mitchell for helping her with the “big learning curve” at every step.

Powers said believed in the department and in doing what was best for the city of Bonney Lake and said she was excited to lead a “great group” of officers, detectives and staff.

Johnson said it was important for him to promote internally, especially because there was a qualified internal candidate.

“It’s always good when you can have someone step up,” Johnson said. “It makes a lot of sense.”

The city code allows the mayor to name an “interim” position for up to one year and Johnson said he would only use the “interim” title for internal candidates.

Mitchell announced his plans to retire last november. His last day is scheduled for Sept. 16.