New Havre police chief will come from ranks

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon says he will pick the new police chief from within the ranks of the department.

The mayor said he has asked for applications from qualified officers from within the department.

Officers have until June 5 to submit applications, he said.

Then he and members of the city’s Police Commission will interview candidates, he said. He will make the selection. City Council will then decide whether to ratify the mayor’s appointment.

He said a number of officers are eligible to apply, but he wasn’t sure how many.

Officers are eligible if they have served long enough and meet various certifications, he said. Interim Chief Gabe Matosich is eligible and will be considered, the mayor said.

The mayor made the announcement at Monday night’s city council meeting after he was questioned by Havre resident Bill Lanier.

Lanier has made a habit of asking Solomon at every council meeting about the status of the search.

Matosich has been interim chief for more than 20 months, since Kirk Fitch retired in September 2013.

The mayor always responded that he was working on things “behind the scenes.”

When Lanier asked at Monday night’s meeting, Solomon responded, “Well, Bill, in fact there is news to report.”

Traditionally, the chief has been chosen from within the ranks, but Solomon broke with tradition in 2011 when he tapped Fitch, a retired chief from Maricopa, Arizona, to fill the post.

In other business at Monday night’s meeting:

Council unanimously approved Solomon’s appointment of members to several city boards.

Debbie Rhines and Linda McKay were reappointed to the Havre-Hill County Planning Board. Linda Taplin, Tracy McLain and Jeremy Siemens were returned to the Zoning Board of Adjustments, Michael Shortell was reappointed to the police commission.

Council approved a request from Brian Carpenter, president of the Eagle Riders, to close off 2nd Avenue from 1st to 2nd streets for the annual Poker Run Saturday, May 30.

Motorcycles will take off for Fort Benton at 10 a.m., and will return at roughly 6 p.m. There will be a dinner and a street dance after that, he said.

Last year, he said, $3,000 was raised for the Montana Wounded Warrior program.