A new group of Prineville police chief candidates has been finalized and the public is invited once again to meet the finalists.
An informal meet-and-greet with three new candidates is scheduled for Wednesday, July 24, from 6:30-8 p.m. It will once again take place at Ron’s Comfort Food Café, located at Meadow Lakes Golf Course.
The format will mirror that of the first meet-and-greet, which took place June 5. Community members will be provided with an opportunity to meet the candidates, ask questions and submit feedback to city leaders. The names of the finalists and details about each of them will be disclosed on Tuesday, July 23.
The new group of finalists emerged after city officials opted not to hire a police chief from the initial pool of three candidates. That group included two police chiefs from Washington state and a police lieutenant from California. All three candidates came with extensive law enforcement and leadership experience.
The decision to reopen the search was announced one week after the meet-and-greet and subsequent interviews with multiple community panels.
“We are committed to finding both a well-qualified chief of police and one who will be a good fit for the community and the Prineville Police Department,” City Manager Steve Forrester explained upon reopening the search. “Three candidates with excellent resumes were considered; however, after careful consideration, the decision was made to continue the search.”
The need for a new police chief arose this past January, when former Chief Larry Seymour and former Captain Rob Gray resigned following an investigation into a workplace retaliation complaint. Shane Wilson, who was designated as the person in charge while Seymour and Gray were investigated, was promoted from lieutenant to interim police chief after the resignations.
The help find a new permanent chief, the city hired Jim Band, a consultant with a lengthy law enforcement career that includes 10 years as chief of police in Oregon City. With his help, the city searched for a chief who is good with people and good with forecasting issues and making sure that everybody who works at the department and who lives in the community has absolute faith moving forward in who is leading the department.
To find those candidates, the city reached out to third-party firm to help broaden the search and return more quality candidates. Forrester stressed that while the search might draw candidates from urban areas or from out of state, it would also focus on finding a chief that will be a good fit for Prineville.
“We want to be sensitive and true to our roots, our culture and our history but at the same time have a leadership team that can adjust and manage their way through the inevitable changes that are being thrust up us as a community,” he said.
Following the July 24 meet-and-greet, the candidates will participate in meetings with four panels consisting of regional public safety professionals, community leaders and members of the Prineville Police Department. Those meetings will take place on July 25.
City officials hope to appoint a new police chief by the end of this summer.
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