Christiansen Appointed Chief - City of Lake Ozark

City Receives Blue Shield Designation: The City of Lake Ozark and Lake Ozark Police Department are honored to have been named a Missouri Blue Shield City by Missouri Department of Public Safety.Of this designation for our agency and community, Police Chief James Boren says "I'm honored to accept this Blue Shield City designation, which reflects the outstanding work of our Board of Aldermen, city staff, and police department working in partnership. This recognition from Governor Kehoe and the Missouri Department of Public Safety validates what I've observed throughout my 20-year career here—our community's growing commitment to public safety. During my tenure as chief, I've seen firsthand how the dedication of our officers, combined with incredible community support, creates the foundation for this kind of recognition. This achievement belongs to everyone who has contributed to making our city safer."The Missouri Blue Shield Program, created by Governor Kehoe in January 2025 through Executive Order 25-03, recognizes local governments that make significant efforts to reduce crime, foster law enforcement collaboration, and build strong community partnerships for public safety. “Public safety is the foundation of a thriving community and state. It affects everything from families feeling secure to businesses having the confidence to invest and grow,” said Governor Kehoe. “We designed the Missouri Blue Shield Program to recognize communities that go above and beyond in creating a place where people want to live, work, and build their futures. A Missouri Blue Shield designation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of local governments across Missouri who are leading the way in making public safety a priority.”“The Department of Public Safety is proud to work alongside communities like Lake Ozark, that have shown exceptional dedication to enhancing public safety,” said Mark James, Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS). “This program is about fostering collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. Our goal is to support these efforts, providing resources and guidance to help communities build sustainable, long-term solutions for crime reduction and public safety.”Communities are eligible for a Missouri Blue Shield designation based on their dedication to reducing crime, making substantial investments in public safety, and developing strong collaboration with law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders. Each participating community’s commitment will be reviewed annually to ensure continued alignment with the program’s goals. Communities that earn a Missouri Blue Shield designation will receive grant funding for law enforcement training and equipment as part of Governor Kehoe’s Recommended Budget for the State Fiscal Year 2026. Communities will also be featured on Governor Kehoe’s social media pages as well as the DPS website to highlight their participation in the program. The City of Lake Ozark earned a Missouri Blue Shield designation due to its exceptional commitment to public safety. Through officer recruitment and retention efforts, introduction of our K9 program, increased funding to public safety, and an enhanced approach to community policing, we have demonstrated a strong and ongoing commitment to protecting our residents and visitors.

Posted on January 5, 2023, Edited January 5, 2023 by harrison

Christiansen Appointed Chief

In a special session of the Lake Ozark Board of Aldermen held on January 5, 2023, Mr. Jeff Christiansen was
appointed with a unanimous vote to serve as the city’s next Police Chief.

Christiansen comes to the city with over 27 years of professional law enforcement experience, most recently
serving the citizens of Linn Creek, Missouri as their Police Chief. Prior to his work in Linn Creek, Christiansen
spent 26 years at the DuPage County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office, progressing through their patrol and detective
divisions, and eventually serving as a Sergeant within their civil division and accreditation and training
programs. His professional service includes volumes of experience in training and development, grants, patrol
functions, accreditation, and supervision.

He possesses a BA and MS in criminal social justice from Lewis University, and is a 2012 graduate of the
Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. While working for the DuPage County
Sheriff’s Office, Christiansen also worked as an adjunct instructor at Aurora University for a period of 15 years,
where he was a founding member of their criminal justice advisory board. He has worked at the College of
DuPage as a GED instructor and coordinator as well. He has also has years of experience as an accreditation
manager, trainer, and contractor for a series of coroners’ offices in Illinois.

Outside of his professional experiences, Christiansen is a co-founder of Celebrate Differences, which is a notfor-profit supporting people with disabilities and their families. He has extensive involvement with the special
needs community for the past 18 years, also co-founding the A Pinch of Happiness Spice Shop in Camdenton,
Missouri.

During his appointment, Christiansen stated that he was “looking forward to getting started soon and to
continue the work of making the agency better. I am excited to work with the officers, dispatchers, board and
department heads to make progress, and appreciate the thorough and well-vetted hiring process.”
At the meeting, Mayor Newberry thanked the members of the hiring committee that helped to identify
Christiansen as the next Police Chief. Christiansen will be sworn into the role at the Board of Aldermen
meeting on January 10, 2023 at 6:00 P.M.