Wayne Jerman recently retired as police chief of the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Police Department. He was sworn in as the city’s 43rd police chief on October 29, 2012. Before his leadership position in Cedar Rapids, Jerman was an officer with the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Police for 33 years. Jerman focused the majority of his career on patrol as he believed that this was the area of policing in which he could make the most difference in the lives of those he interacted with each day. He was promoted several times while in patrol before transitioning to training upon promotion to lieutenant. He achieved promotion to captain in 2002 and served as commander of the Second District (Bethesda) for more than two years until he was appointed assistant chief of police. Jerman retired from Montgomery County at the rank of assistant chief, serving as chief of two bureaus; the Investigative Services Bureau from 2007 to 2010, and the Field Services Bureau from 2010 to 2012.

The Cedar Rapids Police Department is a full-service agency comprised of 227 officers and over 70 non-sworn employees. The department serves over 135,000 residents and is responsible for 73 square miles. The police chief oversees the police department, Joint Communications Agency, and Animal Care and Control. Since his arrival in Cedar Rapids, Chief Jerman has increased the department’s community outreach efforts and formed stronger partnerships with other law enforcement agencies within Iowa, as well as increasing the department’s participation with federal task forces. His other significant accomplishments include overseeing the establishment of a nuisance abatement program and enforcement unit, the creation of the Police Chief’s Advisory Committee, and the creation and implementation of the Cedar Rapids Police Community Action Team to further promote police-community relationships while addressing crime and quality of life conditions. Since becoming chief, Jerman guided the department in acquiring advanced accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. (CALEA).

Jerman is a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), a member of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and a member of the Iowa Police Chiefs Association (IPCA) with which he served as legislative representative at the Iowa General Assembly from 2015 to 2021.

Jerman’s education includes a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland and a Master of Business Administration from Frostburg State University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 236, and completed the FBI’s National Executive Institute, Session 35 in September 2012.