Zimmerman retires from BFPD, Cowell new chief

BONNERS FERRY — Brian Zimmerman signed off for the last time on Feb. 26 as Bonners Ferry’s police chief after nearly 40 years of law enforcement service. 

Zimmerman, a Bonners Ferry High School alumni and fourth-generation Boundary County resident, began his career in law enforcement as a reserve officer for BFPD in 1981. 

Growing up, Zimmerman always wanted to be a police officer, but never expected he’d have the opportunity since he came from a logging family. 

“I never had the confidence to go out and explore the opportunity,” Zimmerman said. “But with growing kids, I started thinking about insurance and benefits and really started to consider law enforcement.”

In 1982, he became a full-time officer with BFPD. From there, Zimmerman became a trooper with Idaho State Police in late 1985, serving as a trooper in the Coeur d’Alene area for a number of years, before returning to Boundary County as the resident trooper when George Hicks retired. 

Zimmerman stayed in the position until 2005, when he was promoted to sergeant and stationed at Pocatello. He was then promoted to lieutenant and moved to Boise, and then in 2010, he was promoted to captain at ISP headquarters. Two years later he retired for the first time in 2012.

After a brief time in the private sector, Zimmerman returned to law enforcement in Middleton, starting the police department from the ground up and forming an eight-man department. Until then, Zimmerman said the city contracted with Canyon County for its law enforcement. 

After two and half years, Zimmerman retired for the second time in 2017 and enjoyed fishing and the outdoors for 10 months, before he got a call from Bonners Ferry asking if he wanted to return to law enforcement.

“I was sworn in as Bonners Ferry chief April 17, 2018, under former Mayor David Sims,” he said. “I told Sims I could give him two to three years, before retiring. At the end of March I’d be at the six-year mark.” 

Zimmerman said he and his wife Roberta, hadn’t planned to move back home to Boundary County, but they are glad they did. 

“I’ve enjoyed every minute serving the people of Bonners Ferry and Boundary County,” he said. “This is the last move I’ll make.” 

“Before we got [Zimmerman] back here we had four chiefs of police and three interim chiefs in the space of about six years,” Mayor Rick Alonzo said at the Feb. 19 Bonners Ferry city council meeting. “The first was myself, and I retired. So then we had an interim, then an appointed chief and he lasted a year in a half.” 

The turning over of chiefs continued until Zimmerman was hired. 

William “Willie” Cowell has been promoted to BFPD chief and has been with the department for 13 years and a reservist since 2007. 

“Cowell has been with the department and knows the community and I think he’ll do an outstanding job as chief,” Alonzo said. 

“I couldn’t be more supportive of the Mayor Rick Alonzo’s choice of Willie Cowell,” he said. “The department will be in good hands with him and Assistant Chief Jeremy Garrett.”

Zimmerman said he couldn’t be prouder of the BFPD’s skills, personalities and work ethic and is proud of the direction the department is going under new leadership. 

The city council approved Cowell’s appointment of police chief on Friday, Feb. 23 at a special council meeting. He will take on the role Friday, March 1.

    Willaim "Willie" Cowell has been promoted to Bonners Ferry Police Chief.