THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, June 4, 1996 TAG: 9606040290
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: 54 lines
A six-member committee will begin narrowing the field today in the search for a new police chief in this beach community.
Some 30 candidates have applied for the $40,000-per-year post left vacant last month with the retirement of James Gradeless. He had served the town for 18 years.
The committee will reduce the field to a manageable number, and establish guidelines for the interview process. Because the selection of the new chief is a personnel matter, the 9 a.m. meeting is closed to the public.
Administrative Services Director Shawn Murphy said that a majority of candidates live in North Carolina. However, some out-of-state law enforcement professionals have applied for the job.
``We've had applicants from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and other places,'' Murphy said. ``But most of our applications have come from within the state.''
Murphy declined comment when asked if any of the applicants were now on the force. He said that because of confidentiality concerns, the names of those selected for interviews will not be released.
He said the selection committee could narrow the field to six candidates.
The panel includes Murphy, Town Manager Debora Diaz, Realtor Robert E. Rollason Jr., Personnel Board member Jackie Ricks and Fire Department volunteer Bill Logan.
Police Chief John Crone of Washington, N.C., rounds out the panel. Criteria established by the Board of Commissioners provided for the selection of a law enforcement professional from another North Carolina jurisdiction to serve on the panel.
``John Crone has been involved with quite a few processes like ours,'' Murphy said. ``He came highly recommended by the (North Carolina) Institute of Government, and has a good deal of experience.''
The most controversial requirement for the new chief deals with residency within the town. In April, the Kill Devil Hills Board of Commissioners was adamant that the chief live within the town limits.
That requirement would exclude the town's deputy chief, Maj. Mike Harris, from the recruitment process. Harris, a 20-year veteran of the department, lives in Harbinger in Currituck County, within the 14-mile limit set for town employees.
The board of commissioners had also discussed the idea of combining police services with neighboring Nags Head.
In April, Former Mayor Joseph Deneke urged the board of commissioners to delay selection of a new chief until the consolidation issue could be explored.
But following a May 1 meeting, the assessment team concluded that it would be difficult to combine the two departments, and that if a merger occurred, it could not be done in a timely manner.
Murphy said there is no time-table for the selection of a new chief.
``We haven't set a date,'' Murphy said. ``Along with scheduling interviews, I think that's something that will come up at our meeting.'' by CNB