Dan Ward has spent the past 13 years combing through shell casings, blood spatters and soiled washcloths. Now he has a slightly less gruesome assignment: media relations.

Ward, formerly the Lawrence Police Department’s top crime-scene detective, last week began his duties as the department’s new media spokesman and internal-affairs officer. Ward now holds the rank of sergeant and replaces Sgt. Mike Pattrick, who was the department’s public voice for about 2 1/2 years.

“I think it’s going to be very challenging and different from crime-scene investigation,” said Ward, 41. “I’m looking forward to it, and I think it will be a tremendous opportunity for growth for me.”

The department’s policy is to prohibit any officer but the designated spokesman from talking to the media without prior approval from Chief Ron Olin.

Pattrick will replace Mack Pryor, who retired last month as the sergeant in charge of detectives at the department’s westside investigations office at 15th Street and Wakarusa Drive.

In other police department personnel news, Officer Michael Monroe, formerly of the department’s traffic unit, has been promoted to sergeant and will work the midnight patrol shift. Monroe has been with the department since 1991.

Patrol Officer Laurence Corder, hired in 2001, was assigned to the traffic unit to replace Monroe.

Greg Pruett, hired in 2000, has been promoted to detective from his previous job as the school-resources officer for Southwest Junior High. Patrol Officer Eric Barkley, hired in 2001, will replace Pruett at Southwest Junior High.

And in another law enforcement spokesman shakeup, senior special agent Larry P. Scott, a spokesman for the Kansas City field division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, retired at the end of June.

Sgt. Dan Ward, formerly a crime-scene detective, has been promoted to media spokesman and internal-affairs officer for Lawrence Police. Ward looks over some evidence in this file photo from February 2003.

Scott appeared frequently in news reports during the March investigation of a series of arson fires in Lawrence and Johnson County. A former Kansas University student has been charged with setting 14 of the fires.

Senior special agent Paul Marquardt replaces Scott.