Erin Hut, Communications Director, ehut@spokanecity.org
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at 10:43 a.m.
The City of Spokane is pleased to announce the hiring of Lissa Mascio as the new Deputy Police Ombuds. Mascio was selected following a national search.
Mascio comes to Spokane from the state of New Hampshire, where she last served as the Deputy and acting Legislative and Policy Director for the New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate, a child welfare ombuds office. She has worked in the child welfare field, both as a prosecutor in abuse and neglect cases, as well as representing parents in the system. She has also worked on behalf of domestic violence victims.
Over the past several years, Mascio has served as a member of the Criminal Bureau of the New Hampshire Department of Justice, prosecuting homicides and felony unemployment fraud, and as part of the Professional Standards Bureau at the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, working on policies, FOIA requests, and use of force reviews.
Mascio hails from Queens, New York but mostly grew up in New Hampshire, and has lived in several other states, including Arizona and Vermont. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and English from the University of New Hampshire in Durham. After working for several years in nonprofit advocacy and marketing, including advocacy for runaway and homeless youth, she attended Hofstra Law School in Hempstead, New York.
“Lissa was a unanimous choice for the position with her strong legal background, which includes oversight of corrections and law enforcement uses of force,” said Police Ombuds Bart Logue. “Her tenure as a Deputy in a state level Ombuds office will help ensure a seamless transition. Lissa brings tremendous analytic, investigative, and research skills which will enhance the oversight processes in Spokane. I am excited to have her on the team.”
“I am excited to welcome Lissa Mascio as our new Deputy Police Ombuds. Her deep commitment to public service and experience advocating for vulnerable communities will be a tremendous asset to our city. I look forward to working with her as I’m confident she’ll help continue to strengthen trust and accountability between the Spokane Police Department and the community we serve,” Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall said.
“The Spokane Police Guild was very impressed by the number of high-quality candidates who showed interest in this position. We believe Lissa’s hiring is the best choice for the Office of the Ombuds, the community, and our members,” said Detective Dave Dunkin, Spokane Police Guild President. “We are looking forward to working with her and having a new perspective on police oversight in Spokane.”
Mascio says she is thrilled to be joining the Office of the Police Ombuds and looks forward to relocating to the beautiful City of Spokane. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, community theater, and traveling.
