MARYSVILLE Marysville may have a new police chief on the job by February, as Mayor Dennis Kendall has tendered an offer to one of six candidates interviewed by City Council and community members last week.
This is the second attempt to replace former police chief Bob Carden, who left the city after eight years in April to return to Visalia, Calif. Kendall was close to nailing a deal with King County Sheriffs Bureau Chief Denise Turner this fall but they could not agree on contract and residency terms.
Last week committees of City Council members, police department rank and file, union officials and community members vetted the six new candidates before Kendall made his selection. He would not identify the prospective new chief, but said that this crop of candidates were much closer together in competitiveness and that his short-list of three top choices were all approved by the City Council during executive session.
It was really a difficult decision, because they were really close, Kendall said. Im sure that folks will be really happy with the selection.
The new chief-to-be is currently undergoing the required psychological, and background checks and is working with the city on terms of his contract. The salary for the top cop was listed in the $130,000 range during the last round. Kendall said an announcement could be made in mid-January with the new chief in uniform by February.
Officer Jim Maples is president of the Marysville Police Officers Association and was surprised that Kendall made a selection without informing him or the unions executive board, who were part of the interview process. Otherwise he was pleased with the city involving the union during both screening process, although Maples said the union would have liked to do some more thorough background checks on the top two candidates but thought this batch was a group of strong contenders.
Were pleased. The MPOA believes that these candidates are probably a better selection this time, Maples said. There are two sharp individuals there and it would be interesting to see how they could effect our department.
He joined City Council members in urging a chief who has spent time at a large city; Marysville is currently home to 30,000 folks but could likely double that within a decade. Most leaders want someone who can shepherd the department through those growing pains.
We want to move forward and make progress with our department, Maples said. We want to be the best that we can be.
He said he wasnt concerned so much whether the new chief gets along with the mayor because mayors come and go, but officers on the department are in for life.
We want it across the board that everybody will have to ability to work with this individual, Maples said.
The police union had a favorite candidate, according to Maples, who noted that the departments command staff preferred another known to tangle with the union in his current department.
City Council member Jeff Vaughan was part of the battery of committees faced by the select six and said he was comfortable with them.
I felt like the candidates we interviewed this time were really quality candidates, Vaughan said. It made the choice difficult because they were so well qualified.
Other Council members have said that this billet will be the most important hire Kendall makes, and any police chief must be confirmed by a majority vote of the City Council.
We counseled him on where our preferences are but ultimately that was his decision, Vaughan said. He took input from the city staff, the MPOA, the citizens group. From my perspective it was really helpful to have all the input from the groups.