Community to meet police chief finalists

Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas plans to make the identities of the two finalists for city police chief public on Tuesday, giving residents a day to come up with questions before a community meet-and-greet.

Monroe’s last police chief, Tim Quenzer, retired from the force in May, after 16 years leading the department.

The city began seeking the services of a consulting firm in March, and selected Issaquah-based Prothman to assist with the search.

Larry Dickerson, interim director of public safety, is serving in the chief’s seat currently.

A meet-and-greet was announced last Thursday, but didn’t include the names of the two finalists that will be addressing resident questions 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, at the Monroe Boys and Girls Club, 261 Sky River Parkway.

“The candidates are going to be going through a very public process,” Thomas tells the Monitor. “They have not notified their employers yet.”

This means at least one finalist was selected from outside the department. Thomas declined to say if there was an internal candidate.

The expectation is that the finalists will notify their current employers in time for Thomas to announce them to the Monroe City Council during its regular meeting on Tuesday night, Aug. 21. The mayor said he’d prefer to give the police department and councilmembers a heads up that afternoon.

Prothman forwarded a dozen viable applicants to Thomas, he said.

“I interviewed approximately six of them and narrowed them down to three,” Thomas said, “and now we’re down to two candidates that had agreed to move on as finalists.”

A third finalist pulled their name from consideration.

The mayor said he interviewed one candidate on Thursday, Aug. 9, and drove them around the community that Sunday.

Thomas said he looked for candidates with a “technical skill set” and strong background in police administration.

Following Wednesday’s meet-and-greet the finalists will answer questions from three panels consisting of councilmembers, a police officer, sergeant, MPD administration, city department directors, including for parks, community development and public works, and representatives from the local YMCA, Downtown Monroe Association and possibly Take The Next Step, Thomas said.

All seven councilmembers were invited to join the panels, and Jason Gamble and Kirk Scarboro will each serve on one. Thomas said Patsy Cudaback wanted to serve on a panel, but wasn’t available on Thursday, Aug. 23.

“The community meeting the night before is open to the public, yes,” Thomas said. “Typically, interview panels like that are not open to the public.”

Each panel will have 45 minutes with a candidate, and then all will join the mayor for lunch, Thomas said.

Halfway through the process, he said the panels will share what they like about each candidate, as well as any concerns. The finalists will then have another interview with the mayor, city administrator, human resources director and a Prothman consultant.

“I could then make a decision that day, or in the next week,” Thomas said.

A conditional offer would then be made, pending the requisite background checks, and Thomas could then present his choice to the council for final consideration. The mayor said he hopes to do so by mid-September.

If it’s an outside candidate, Thomas said, there would need to be some time for them to relocate. Ideally, the next police chief would start work by mid-October or mid-November, he said.