City to hire new police chief

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
The Newcastle City Council appears to be ready to appoint a new police chief for the police department at its meeting on Sept. 21, according to Clerk-Treasurer Greg James, although little is known about where the candidates are from and what qualifications they have. 
In a saga that began with the abrupt resignation of former Newcastle Police Chief Jim Owens on July 6, the council appointed officer Samuel Keller as interim chief after a committee meeting on July 2 at which council members chose Keller.  Keller was sworn in as a new hire on Oct. 21, 2019. As previously reported, the News Letter Journal was only able to obtain confirmation that now former Mayor Deb Piana and Councilman Roger Hespe attended this police committee meeting. 
At the July 6 meeting, the council voted unanimously to appoint Keller with no public discussion about why he was the best candidate and that a search for a new police chief had begun. Keller’s appointment as interim chief was effective July 11. 
According to James, nobody was specifically charged with advertising for candidates for the position, and as far as he is aware, no advertising was done. James said he was tasked with answering any inquiries the city may receive about the position. 
“I believe Mr. Owens did an announcement via the web over a police site,” James said in an email answering questions drafted by the News Letter Journal. “Other than that, there were no advertisements of any type placed anywhere.” 
James also reported that there are no “stated or written” perceived qualifications or requirements for the police chief and that the people chosen to fill the position will be done so based on their resume, application and interview. 
James told the News Letter Journal that eight applications were received by the city and that the council, in executive session, interviewed four of those applicants on Sept. 10. 
He said that the personnel committee, consisting of Hespe, Councilwoman Pam Gualtieri and Councilman Tom Voss, made the advertisement decisions. James then said that the council as a whole determines the hiring process, depending on the circumstances surrounding each position. 
“The entire council was involved in the interviews. This has been the practice when interviewing department heads,” James said, noting that the rest of the process was handled by the personnel committee. 
As of Sept. 14, James said, the council appears ready to appoint a new chief at its next regular meeting, which is Monday, Sept. 21.