Interim Quincy police chief sworn in

QUINCY — Quincy’s new interim police chief was sworn into office, saying he wants to more community policing and to increase morale.

Greg Meinzer, a former Chelan County undersheriff, filled the spot left vacant by the retirement of Bill Gonzales. Gonzales recently signed an agreement to retire on July 31, receiving a pay raise at the beginning of July and a six-month severance package.

Meinzer is receiving $6,250 a month and agreed on Monday to work until the city can find a permanent replacement. The city recently hired Spokane-based Spectrum Group to conduct the search.

The interim police chief said his goal is to put the police back into the public to remind people the they are there to help people, adding he wants to start changes immediately.

“It’s hard to get officers out of their cars and go out and shake hands. Officers like staying in their cars,” he said. “It used to be the norm. It’s not going to be easy … I want people to view police as someone who can help them.”

The city contacted Meinzer after Spectrum and the Washington state Patrol recommended him, City Administrator Tim Snead said.

“I think he’s going to do an excellent job for us,” Quincy Mayor Jim Hemberry said after the council approved his contract. “He was the only person we talked to … He’s really interested in doing this. It’s really funny he’s only been retired since June, but he wants something like this short term.”

Meinzer decided to come out of retirement because leading the Quincy Police Department, while it searched for a new chief, sounded like a nice challenge.

“My role is to provide leadership and to provide a smooth and positive transition to the next chief,” he said.

Meinzer planned to spend Monday learning more about the city and meeting with business owners and residents, adding he plans to tell the officers what he expects and ask them what they expect from him.

“You can’t just order change because it won’t work. It’s got to happen over time,” he said. “The mayor has told me what he expects … It’s all about customer service.”

Hemberry hopes to have a new police chief in the position before Dec. 31, adding the contract allows the city to terminate Meinzer once a new police chief is found, he said. Meinzer has not applied for the job.

“We’re optimistic that we’re going to find somebody that will really fit what we’re looking for,” he said.

The city decided to hire someone from outside of the police department because there wasn’t anyone qualified for the position, Hemberry said.

“We’re having (Sgt. Dan Dopps) fill in right now and he’s doing a good job for (Gonzales), but I don’t think five months would be fair to him,” he said. “It shorts us. If we use somebody from here, then we just have to turn around and hire somebody and then we’re going to put them back in the work force … It just worked out better to hire somebody from the outside.”