Butch Inks

Advisory Board

Butch Inks was sworn in as the St. Paul fire chief on November 1, 2019, and oversees the 495 women and men in the St. Paul Fire Department. In addition to leading the department, Inks has been an innovator, assembling an alternative response team to support vulnerable St. Paul residents, advocating for an inclusive workforce, and piloting firefighter health and well-being studies. Inks took over the department just prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and has led staging crews in the skyway system and downtown library to respond more quickly and serve as a public safety presence. Chief Inks is a military veteran, having served in the Air Force for 26 years before retiring in 2012. Inks enjoys golfing, playing hockey, and spending time with his wife, kids, grandkids and dogs.