Committee re-writes criteria for new police chief selection

A newly appointed committee has outlined the job duties, education, experience and training necessary for the community’s chief of police.  

The Clear Lake City Council approved a resolution revising the job description at its Oct. 21 meeting. 

Mayor Nelson Crabb, who appointed the committee, said the committee took care of “housekeeping items,” by bringing the code up-to-date and adding fiscal related duties, as well as attendance at Council meetings which have been standard for years.   The job description had not been updated since June 2000.

Crabb said that while there is no timeline for beginning the process of finding a permanent police chief, the clarification of duties makes the city more prepared.

The committee, which includes City Councilmen Gary Hugi and Mike Callanan, City Administrator Scott Flory, City Clerk Jennifer Larsen, City Finance Officer Linda Nelson and community at-large member Chyrl Bergvig, will be used again when the City advertises for the post.

The resolution passed by the City Council added preparation of annual budget estimates, supervision of expenditure of annual appropriations and the responsibility of responding to issues from other local, state and federal officers and agencies where activities of the department are involved. 

The city will now require a minimum of six years progressively responsible experience at the level of police lieutenant or above in a city, county, state or federal law enforcement agency in modern police work; a minimum educational requirement is graduation from an accredited traditional college or university with an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice, Police Science, Sociology, Public Administration, or related fields.   Degrees or - Read More Via e-Edition