Quincy police to hire captain

QUINCY — The Quincy Police Department is hunting for a new police captain.

The city council approved advertising for the second-in-command position during the last council meeting. The position replaces the deputy chief position, filled for about a month by former interim Police Chief Greg Meinzer.

Mayor Jim Hemberry said the city originally budgeted $71,000 for a police lieutenant in 2009, but with former Police Chief Bill Gonzales retiring at the end of July, the city didn’t pursue the position. 

The money stayed in the budget for 2010, he said, so the city and Police Chief Richard Ackerman decided they wanted to fill the position.

Ackerman took the job description for the deputy chief and modified it, changing the name to captain, Ackerman said, adding the department is large enough need a second in command.

“In the past Quincy had a chief and a lieutenant,” he said. “The second-in-command position is nothing new here; the title has just changed, if you will.”

The department plans to start advertising for the position soon. A panel comprised of three councilmembers and two police officers will review the applications and interview the finalists. The department plans to advertise the position nationally.

“Our anticipated hire date will be June 1,” Ackerman said. “My focus is to look for two generic factors, the most qualified and the best fit. (The city wants) someone who will be a good fit for an agency this size, the business and the residential community. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Once a person is hired to fill the position, it will allow the department’s two sergeants to perform their jobs easier, without having to take on the chief’s duties, he said.

“It will give me a lot more free time to get involved in the community, to raise the profile of our department,” Ackerman said.

Along with working in the field, the captain is responsible for managing the patrols in the city, the chief said.

The city may change the pay for the position, Hemberry said.