Det. Brian Krueger — a 26-year-veteran of the Austin Police Department — was chosen by a City Council committee Thursday as Austin’s new police chief.

The full, seven-member council still needs to approve the decision, and a vote is slated for Monday night. Krueger would also have to pass a psychological exam before getting hired. However, the department veteran was nonetheless happy — and relieved — to hear the news.

“I’m glad the process is over,” Krueger said Thursday afternoon, “and I look forward to serving this community, providing the best public safety possible.”

Krueger was among three finalists that were interviewed by council members Janet Anderson and Jeff Austin, as well as Mayor Tom Stiehm, on Thursday.

The other two candidates came from outside the city: Jeff McCormick, the current chief of police in Cannon Falls, Minn., and Roger Pohlman, a lieutenant in Grand Forks, N.D.

Ultimately, the committee decided that Krueger’s experience in Austin, as well as his skills as a police officer, made him the perfect fit.

“I think Brian has very strong credentials and a grasp of what we need,” Anderson said.

Added councilman Austin: “I think we have a known commodity in Brian.”

And they should — Krueger has been an active member of the Austin community for nearly three decades, both through his police work and his involvement in a number of local social organizations.

“I’ve enjoyed my career here in Austin,” he said in a previous interview, “and I intend to finish it here no matter what happens.”

Though he’s spent the last quarter century in Austin, Krueger hasn’t always called this city home. He was born in Manitowoc, Wis., and he lived in Ashwaubenon, Wis., just outside of Green Bay, through high school.

Despite being a lifelong Packers fan, Krueger couldn’t say “no” to the University of Minnesota, which recruited him for baseball. There, he played on the diamond, but also began taking criminology courses. After a few classes, he knew what he wanted to do for a career.

That career started in 1983 with a short stay as a Brownsdale police officer. By 1984, Krueger was working as a patrol officer for the APD. He said he expected a quiet start to his work in Austin, but the Hormel strike dashed that hope.

Three years later, Krueger was among the first members of the APD’s Special Incident Response Team, which deals with high-risk cases such as drug busts and hostage stand-offs.

Krueger has remained active with SIRT and today serves as the team’s leader.

“It’s been very rewarding,” the detective said of his SIRT work.

Krueger said his time with SIRT has helped teach him the importance of “team-oriented” police work. Because of the high-risk nature of its cases, the team always operates with a number of officers, who all aim to train together regularly. Krueger said he’d try to bring that mentality to the APD as a whole.

Krueger also wants to continue the legacy of Paul Philipp, the longtime chief who retired in January after an internal complaint was filed against him.

Despite the inglorious end to his career, Philipp was generally well-respected by fellow officers and the community, Krueger said.

“Obviously, Paul set a great example for the rest of us,” Krueger said. “He was very well respected. I want to continue that in my own way.”

Assuming council votes to approve him, Krueger will soon get that chance.

“I have the qualities to do this job, and I have the trust and respect of staff,” he said Thursday. “I feel I have worked my way through the ranks.”