An insider to the Salt Lake City Police Department, Assistant Chief Chris Burbank, will take over as chief when Rick Dinse retires March 31.

Burbank, selected over two other candidates by Mayor Rocky Anderson, said he wants to continue the programs Dinse established while also focusing on Internet crime and identify theft, two areas that have traditionally been under the purview of the FBI.

"There are individuals in our community who are victimized by this," Burbank said. "Our goal is to solve the problem in Salt Lake City and to ensure that individuals are taking responsibility for their crimes."

Burbank also wants to increase recruitment for the department, which he said has had trouble getting new applicants. Many police officers come from military backgrounds, and the Iraq war has depleted that pool, he said.

"We need to be targeting these people, reaching out and following up" with applicants, Burbank said.

Dinse, who is retiring after nearly six years as chief, had a high-profile tenure, overseeing cases with national attention such as the 2002 Winter Olympics, Elizabeth Smart's kidnapping and return, and Lori Hacking's murder. The Salt Lake City Council commended Dinse during its meeting Tuesday with a standing ovation. Yet Dinse's focus Tuesday was on Burbank.

"I'm more excited that Chris got selected than I am about my own retirement," Dinse said. "I've been so impressed with his talent and skill."

Anderson said Burbank's innovative thinking, outstanding record and work experience persuaded him to promote the assistant chief to the position of chief.

"He's somebody who studies policing and is willing to try new solutions," said Anderson, who said he wanted a chief who would focus on stopping identify theft and busting drug dealers. "I think he'll be a fine police chief."

Burbank has been in the department for the past 15 years and is a graduate of the University of Utah. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, Burbank coordinated the police force at the nine-block Olympic Square.

As the assistant police chief, he oversaw departments including internal affairs, training, dispatchers, records and personnel services. Before he was an assistant chief, Burbank worked in internal affairs and training; he also started enforcing pedestrian jaywalking as a bicycle squad sergeant. Burbank also was a member of the SWAT team that disarmed a gunman with a bomb in the Salt Lake City library in March 1994.

Burbank will make $108,000 a year as police chief.

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E-mail: kswinyard@desnews.com