Candidate turns down Othello police chief job
City advertising position statewide
OTHELLO — The City of Othello is again searching for a permanent police chief, after the man selected turned down the position.
In a letter to the city earlier this month, former Fife Police Chief Rob DeGroot declined to take the position. DeGroot had been expected to take the reins at the Othello Police Department in December, the same month that current Interim Chief Jake Evans' contract with the city is set to expire.
"I am disappointed, as the City of Othello is a wonderful community with tremendous potential for success in public safety," DeGroot wrote in his letter declining the job. "However, family issues must take priority over my own personal desire for success. I truly appreciate the opportunity that Othello had provided me, and I am confident that Othello will continue to thrive and succeed."
DeGroot had beaten out 32 other applicants for the job to be selected by Mayor Pro-Tem Shannon McKay. He was also one of three finalists for the job to meet with citizens during a community forum in October.
Othello City Administrator Ehman Sheldon said Monday that the city was again advertising statewide for the position, so far receiving three resumes for the post. The position will continue to be advertised until it is filled.
A tentative schedule has been set for mid-December for the city to conduct interviews, and Sheldon said the interview process would follow the same panel interview and community forum guidelines used in the selection of DeGroot.
"It will be dependent upon panel schedules and the candidate schedules," Sheldon said of the time line.
Under Othello code the mayor selects the police chief, who then must be confirmed by the city council. The city said in a news release that McKay would review options and meet with city council members individually about the process of selecting a new chief.
Interim Chief Evans has been at the helm of the OPD since August, following the resignation of former Chief Ron Axtman in July. Axtman resigned following a period of unrest at the OPD, and after an independent consultant's report indicated "deep personal divides" within the department. A series of articles published in the local Othello Outlook newspaper had also been critical of Axtman.
Evans has been contracted to oversee the department through a transition period and to help select a new chief. His contract expires Dec. 1 and he is needed in Texas after that date, according to a news release. Sheldon said the city is still considering options regarding whether to again contract for an interim chief position until a permanent replacement is hired.