The Austin Police Department pinned its first police captain in nearly four years Monday evening.

Dave McKichan was pinned by Police Chief Brian Krueger and Mayor Tom Stiehm at the City Council meeting.

“I’m really thrilled to help a lot of (our officers) continue to develop in their careers,” the new captain said to the council.

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McKichan has been with the APD for over 13 years and received the Narcotics Officer of the Year award last year.

“He is definitely the most qualified for the position,” Krueger said at a previous council meeting.

Upon McKichan’s promotion, two detective positions will open up in the department, Krueger said. He said he plans on hiring from within the department for those openings, but that won’t happen until closer to February when the two new patrol officers, Rian Jones and Kris Stein, are fully trained and working on their own.

Krueger also said one of the new detectives will fill McKichan’s position on the Southeast Minnesota Narcotics and Gang Task Force.