Werner S. Wolff, former police chief of Oro Valley, dies at 87

Werner S. Wolff, who served as the Oro Valley police chief for nearly 17 years and on the Oro Valley Town Council for four years after that, died Saturday, April 15.

He was 87 years old.

Wolff was hired as the police chief in January 1983 after serving 21 years with the Tucson Police Department, including 15 years in narcotics, according to Star archives.

When he joined, the Oro Valley department had four patrol officers and no investigators. It was headquartered in a former four-bedroom house at 680 W. Calle Concordia.

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“When I took over, I told my four patrol officers that we’ll never be the largest department in the state, but there is no reason we can’t be the best,” Wolff told the Star in 1999.

Wolff retired from the department that year and was elected to the Oro Valley Town Council in May of 2000, where he served until 2004.

He was vice mayor on the council from 2003 to 2004.

Funeral services have not been announced.