Where will search start?
JANESVILLE — The chair of the Janesville Police and Fire Commission wants to hire the next police chief from within the department.
"We have some strong internal candidates," Staci Nielson said. "I like the idea of having someone that knows Wisconsin, knows the area and even knows the department."
Janesville Police Chief Neil Mahan announced Monday he will retire Jan. 30 and return to California. He previously worked in California, and his children and grandchildren remain there.
The commission will meet in January to discuss hiring Mahan's replacement.
Deputy Chief David Moore and Deputy Chief Steve Kopp applied for the position when Mahan was hired in 2004.
Moore said he would apply a second time if the commission decides to hire an internal candidate.
"I have dedicated about the last 15 years of my career preparing for this position," Moore said. "I'm prepared."
Kopp said he hasn't decided whether he will apply. He said he could make a decision in the next few weeks.
Capt. Danny Davis and Lt. Tim Hiers also might be considered chief candidates.
Davis said he hasn't decided whether he'll apply.
"I think it's pretty premature," he said.
And Hiers said he enjoys his current position and won't apply. He added that he has more goals he wants to accomplish before considering a chief position.
Three other possible candidates—Lt. Keith Lawver, Lt. John Olsen and Lt. Tom Wolfram—could not be reached for comment.
The police and fire commission historically has alternated hiring an inside candidate and outside candidate.
For example, former Chief George Brunner was hired after an in-house selection process in 1994. His predecessor, Ray Voelker, came to Janesville from Pennsylvania after spending most of his career in Michigan.
If the pattern continues, the next chief would be selected from inside the police department.
But it is not required to alternate the hiring of chiefs, Nielson said.
"I think that's just been a coincidence," she said.
Leslie Brunsell, a member of the police and fire commission, said the hiring could come from inside or outside.
A person hired from within knows the city, the community and the staff at the police department, commission members said.
A person hired from somewhere else can bring a fresh perspective, different experiences and new ideas, commission members said.
"I think it could go either way," Brunsell said. "Change is difficult, but it's not necessarily a bad thing."
An interim chief likely will be appointed until Mahan's position is filled, Nielson said.
Interviews will be conducted as soon as the list of candidates is narrowed, Nielson said. The city manager and human resources department will participate in the hiring process.
"We're definitely interested in their feedback," Nielson said.
Susan Musick, the city's human resources director, said the current salary range for a police chief is $77,844 to $113,964.
The chief also receives $350 a month for an automobile allowance, she said.
It could take several months to hire a chief.
"Obviously, we want to fill it as quickly as possible," Nielson said. "But we also want to make sure we have the best possible candidate."
Dec 17, 2008 at 8:38 a.m.
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most qualified candidate for what? As far as I know the position has not even been posted thus no one has even applied. You do not who who will apply, thus your comment is not accurate. Apparently "last time around" Moore was NOT the most qualified as he did not get the job.
Dec 17, 2008 at 8:19 a.m.
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David Moore is clearly the most qualified candidate. He should have been hired for the position the last time around. I hope the city of Janesville doesn't make the same mistake again.
Dec 17, 2008 at 8:14 a.m.
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localboysince1968: Valid points, but with the position soon to be vacant we still must post the job internally and nationally and see who applies. The few names you listed may no longer be interested. We have a process and a Fire and Police Commission to handle the process to hire the most qualified person.
Dec 17, 2008 at 7:33 a.m.
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Oh, by the way, Moore is a Janesville resident, which is a requirement I would make of the chief position. Kopp resides in Beloit.
Dec 17, 2008 at 6:51 a.m.
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ljs64 - if you remember, they did that already with internal candidiates the last chief search. However, the commission was already determined to hire outside the system to expand the capabilities of the department with additional influence. Now that has happened, they can go back internally (Kopp, Moore, Olsen etc.)and really get some good candidates. Like I posted earlier, I have had opportunities to work with Moore, and he really impressed me, therefore I would endorse him. I have also worked personally with Lt. J. Olsen, but I think it just isn't his time yet, and that is taking nothing away from him. His only negative is the major experience, but he has excelled at everything he has done. His time will be soon. Just not now, in my opinion.
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:23 p.m.
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I think it is an excellent idea to choose the next chief from within the department. The current deputy chief is extremely capable and very dedicated. There are many benefits to hiring a well-seasoned veteran already intimately familiar with the city of Janesville and the police department. It certainly is good for departmental moral when those within the department see they have a career path all the way to the office of the chief of police.
Dec 16, 2008 at 3:49 p.m.
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localboy......, no, I wasn't serious.
As a matter of fact, I'm surprised that live coverage of people in church in town is on TV. Gotta believe there are knuckleheads out there looking for people on the tube who aren't home.
Dec 16, 2008 at 3:40 p.m.
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gazettefan - are you serious? If the gazette printed that you were going on vacation, thieves and burglers would be hitting your house because they knew you would be gone. It was a different time back them. The moral fabric of society has plumeted since then.
Dec 16, 2008 at 1:10 p.m.
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One time I was looking at old Gazettes on microfiche at the library. In one of the editions from the 30s or 40s there was a notice that the owners of the house I lived in at the time were leaving town for a short vacation.
I wonder why they don't do that anymore.
Dec 16, 2008 at 12:24 p.m.
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lol, tjncj! That was good!
btw: apparently the gazette is starting to sound like a grocery store check out lane paper...everyday it's a new rumor to either feed or quell.
kind of reminds me of the paper that the small towns used to print, such as:
Mary and Joe are celebrating their 50th anniversary. Mary and Joe enjoy going out to eat at the Main Street Diner and their waitress liked the scarf Mary knitted for her birthday.
Dec 16, 2008 at 11:53 a.m.
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C'mon lsj64, stop making sense.
Dec 16, 2008 at 11:31 a.m.
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Wouldn't it be a good idea to post the position, wait for potential candidates to apply, interview the candidates, test the candidates, perform background checks on the candidates, narrow the field down, conduct 2nd interviews and then offer someone the position before we speculate and assume who will be the best person for the job? This community loves to speculate on just about everything.
Dec 16, 2008 at 10:56 a.m.
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I think that Lt. Olsen would be the best man for the job
Dec 16, 2008 at 10:48 a.m.
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Janesvillean - I think if the correct information comes out, Moore has taken the proper courses/education for this position. I have stated my personal opinion that Moore is the correct person for this position.
Dec 16, 2008 at 10:39 a.m.
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It is a trade-off. You want to allow hiring from within to generate a career goal for your officers, but you also want to ensure you have the best selection of candidates. From what I've seen the Janesville Police are capable and inspire confidence, but I don't know if they all have the breadth of experience and professional education that the commission might want to consider. There is also the small factor of hiring a chief being one of the best ways to bring in an outside perspective, as there are fewer job (department) changes at the higher management levels. I think Mahan definitely fulfilled that role.
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