Search continues for police chief replacement

RITZVILLE – Mayor Scott Yaeger has received pushback from some city council members and a resident as the search to replace Police Chief Dave McCormick continues.

Ritzville resident Glen Stockwell lobbied for local officer Matt Carlson to be considered for the position, Councilman Dennis Chamberlain echoed Stockwell’s sentiments, and Councilman Mike Schrag suggested forming a committee of city council members and citizens to get input.

The mayor has taken a different course.

The City entered into a contract with WASPC (the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs) and has advertised via the Association of Washington Cities Job Net. Those advertisements have been posted in Washington State, California, and elsewhere in the nation.

Cover letters and resumes must be submitted to WASPC for review.

Yaeger said that using WASPC to receive and review initial screening documents helps to prevent bias.

Police Chief McCormick concurred. “I believe the process the mayor has chosen is unbiased and professional,” he said. “Contacting WASPC and asking their executive search division to handle the advertising and preliminary screening of applicants was the right decision.”

Officer Carlson did not respond to a request for comment.

Mayor Yaeger acknowledged the challenge of finding an acceptable replacement. “In becoming the new mayor, I didn’t foresee having to replace the chief of police two months into my term,” he said.

“But I am pushing forward to try to find a replacement that will benefit our community of Ritzville.”

Mayor Yaeger noted that, to date, Carlson has not given WASPC or the City of Ritzville a cover letter or resume stating his qualifications.

Yaeger did receive hand-delivered papers from a council member depicting Carlson’s job experience, but did not consider those papers sufficient to move the process forward. “Those documents were not labeled, dated, or signed,” Yaeger said.

“I am responsible for supervising and managing the Chief of Police,” he said. “I need someone I can have a conversation with.”