Moses Lake gets new city manager, police chief

MOSES LAKE — Now-former Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin Fuhr was appointed during this week’s city council meeting as permanent city manager. Subsequently, Captain David Sands has been tapped to take over as Moses Lake Police Department chief.

“Ultimately, what it was is there wasn’t a lot of candidates,” Fuhr said. “So, I thought that it would be an opportunity for me to offer my services, hoping that I, in this position, could help the city continue the great work that we’ve been doing.” 

Fuhr has been serving as interim city manager after the prior office holder, Allison Williams, resigned in May of this year. Fuhr said the city had received 48 applications for the vacancy since Williams’ exit, but only three candidates fit what the city was looking for. All three of those candidates opted to take other positions and he saw an opportunity to continue serving the city. He said the vetting process was different for him than for other candidates because he was well-known by council members.

“They had a conversation privately, without me in the room, and then were comfortable enough to offer me the job after I had made the offer (to step in as permanent city manager after the last viable candidate dropped out),” Fuhr said. 

His first steps as he steps into the position on a permanent basis include streamlining processes for permitting, updating the city’s codes — a project he hopes to finish in early 2024 with the help of city staff who have already been working on it for months — and to continue to push forward conversations and reasonable action to maintain and improve water, sewer and roadway infrastructure. 

“We will continue working on customer service so the City can focus on serving the community,” he said via a press release from the city that prompted a brief interview with the Columbia Basin Herald. 

David Sands has taken the reigns as police chief and Fuhr said he felt confident choosing Sands due to Sands’ dedication to the community, knowledge of department operations and his experience having served multiple times as interim police chief.

“Dave spent over 30 years — almost 32 years now — with the city of Moses Lake and has worked himself up to captain. (He’s) worked in every position available at the PD and he knows the police department,” Fuhr said. 

The new city manager said he felt certain Sands would make solid decisions as police chief and would work to ensure the legacy of past department heads at MLPD was honored. He also said the staff have a great working relationship with their new chief and that the familiar face would help maintain the department’s family atmosphere. 

“And so, he will continue to do what needs to be done to serve this community and to do everything possible to make sure that we’re providing great customer service,” Fuhr said. 

Sands said he appreciated the city’s confidence and hoped to continue working to keep the city safe.

“I’m humbled to have been appointed to be the chief of the Moses Lake Police Department,” Sands said. 

Sands said the department prides itself on the values of serving the community and the family atmosphere within MLPD and works hard to serve the community department staff are charged with protecting. He said the residents of Moses Lake deserve the best department possible and his goal is to stick to the core values of having a family atmosphere and working hard to serve without any need for significant changes at the department.

“Frankly, we’re going to do everything we can — and I’m going to do everything I can — upon those bedrocks as we move forward,” Sands said. “As far as changes, there won’t be any drastic changes. We have all worked hard to be a great department … to provide the best service that we can, and that is going to continue because that’s what citizens deserve. The folks that work (at MLPD) deserve the best that I can give them.”

R. Hans “Rob” Miller may be reached at editor@columbiabasinherald.com.

    Newly-appointed Moses Lake Police Chief David Sands has served the city for more than three decades now. He said he is dedicated to taking care of the staff at MLPD so that they can do well protecting the public.
  

    Fuhr and Sands have worked together at MLPD for several years and worked together to develop a positive culture within the department.