Edmonds names new assistant police chief
Published 1:30 am Thursday, January 29, 2026
EVERETT — Edmonds Police Cmdr. Josh McClure has been promoted to assistant chief, the city announced in a press release Thursday.
McClure takes the place of Chief Loi Dawkins, who served as assistant chief until her promotion in July. Rod Sniffen served as assistant chief until his retirement in September.
In 2025, the Edmonds Police Department reduced the number of assistant chiefs from two to one as part of addressing the city’s budget crisis.
McClure has been serving as assistant chief in an acting capacity since October.
McClure grew up in Shoreline. In 1993, he joined the Edmonds Police Department as a police explorer. In 1997, he became a reserve officer. He briefly served as a fully commissioned officer with the Tukwila Police Department and rejoined Edmonds in 1999. Since then, he’s served in several roles, including narcotics detective, K-9 handler, corporal, sergeant and professional standards sergeant. In 2023, he was promoted to commander. He continues to oversee professional standards and has served as the department’s public information officer for 10 years. McClure has also led efforts to increase workforce diversity and modernize recruitment and hiring, the release said.
In 2007, McClure and his K-9 partner, Dash, were named Officers of the Year and received a National Citation for Public Service. In 2014, he received a Meritorious Service Citation for his actions during a critical incident. He received another in 2025 for his efforts to advance organizational accountability, the release said.
McClure has an associate degree in criminal justice from Shoreline Community College. This month, he graduated from Western Governors University with a bachelor’s degree in business communications. McClure has two daughters and has been an active volunteer sports coach for the past decade, the release said. He’s served as the head softball coach at Edmonds-Woodway High School since 2023.
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
