Turmell settles in as new Quincy police chief

QUINCY — New Quincy Police Chief Dalton Turmell told the village council Tuesday night he hopes to hire his first full-time officer for the reconstituted department soon.

After interviewing a 10-year veteran police officer, Turmell said, "He's currently going through the MCOLES required background check in the hiring process."

The candidate is already certified by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, but the state legislature mandated a two-step hiring process in 2017.

After an April public hearing, the Quincy village council decided to rebuild rather than dissolve the department. Former chief Mike Kolassa resigned on March 19, and the only remaining officer left on April 25.

Turmell started July 3. In his first 15 days as the lone village police officer, he said, "There were nine complaints in the village ranging from larceny, accidents, to suspicious persons. "

His three traffic stops resulted in one written citation and two verbal warnings.

More:Prior story Quincy hires deputy to lead police department

Department administration duties took much of his first two weeks.

He transferred his Law Enforcement Information Network clearance from the Branch County Sheriff's Department, his former employer.  Turmell also inventoried the department and its three patrol cars, firearms, tasers, ammunition, evidence kits, blood tests, AEDs, stop sticks, and even police caution tape.

"I'm trying to get those all squared away for up-and-coming officers that we're gonna be hiring soon," Turmell told the council.

The village council authorized the chief to hire two full-time and one part-time officer at an increased starting wage of $24 an hour.

The council paid Turmell $70,000 a year.

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The 27-year-old Quincy native returned to head the department after becoming a county road patrol deputy in December 2020 after transferring from corrections.

The council selected Turmell out of four applicants.

— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Turmell settles in as new Quincy police chief