THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 30, 1996 TAG: 9608300505
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 54 lines
City Manager Myles E. Standish is eager to select a police chief for what he believes will soon emerge as the ``leading city of Hampton Roads.''
Former Police Chief Gilbert F. Jackson retired two months ago, and the department is under the leadership of Maj. William A. Freeman, the deputy chief and a 25-year veteran of the police force.
Plenty of qualified applicants are eager to take the helm of the 116-member department, Standish said Thursday. The city received 104 applications from across the United States - from as far as California - and from Canada.
Standish isn't concerned about setting a deadline for appointing a new chief.
``My goal is to get the best person,'' he said.
Municipal Advisers Inc. - a Virginia Beach consulting firm - is helping narrow the choices to about 10, or the top 10 percent.
The finalists will be scrutinized in an innovative manner - interviewed by videotape in their current locations to save the expense of bringing them to Suffolk.
``Out of the top 10 percent, we expect to interview four or five,'' Standish said.
He also will use a new approach to conduct the final interviews. He has asked city staffers, officials, citizens and a police chief from another city to help him.
Serving on the panel will be the Rev. Carlton R. Upton, pastor of Tabernacle Christian Church; retired Circuit Court Judge James C. Godwin; Commissioner of Revenue Thomas A. Hazelwood; Norfolk Police Chief Melvin High; Cindy Rohlf, assistant to the city manager; and Marie Dodson, personnel director.
Suffolk has had a stable police department under Jackson's leadership for the past 20 years, Standish said.
``That's a real testament to the good leadership of the department and to the men and women in the department,'' he said.
The position is one of the most important in the city, Standish said.
``For those reasons, we are going the extra mile to recruit and review the applications,'' he said.
To qualify, an applicant must have a degree from a four-year college or university with course emphasis in police administration, criminal justice or a related field. He or she must also have 10 to 15 years' experience in law enforcement with three to five years of major command responsibility.
The salary range for the position is $52,893 to $76,694.
Standish said he is looking for someone with a high level of professionalism, accomplishment, the ability to lead the department into the next century and to contribute to the department's growth as the community grows.
The final interviews are expected to be conducted in September, then Standish will make the selection. by CNB