Monterey Begins Search For New Police Chief

Monterey has elected to begin the search for a new Police Chief.

After seeing how the indictment of former chief Bill Randolph played out, Mayor Alex Garcia said starting the search moves the town closer to getting the issue off its plate. Garcia said he will not have a voice in the hiring process.

“Applications will come in to the city,” Garcia said. “The Civil Service Board then goes over those applications and they determine who gets an interview. They perform all of the interviews and they do all of the hiring.”

Garcia said he hopes to get a candidate who has former experience as a police chief. Garcia said though he is not a part of the Civil Service Board he will sit in on the interviews.

“They are public meetings,” Garcia said. “So any other board members that want to go I definitely will be there to see what kind of candidates we are getting.”

Garcia said the department has had a few more positions open as two officers are out on medical leave. Garcia said he is in no rush to find a new chief and fill the other positions.

“Realistically we are looking at towards the end of February to get all these positions filled back in and get all of our officers back in rotation,” Garcia said.

Garcia said the town normally advertises positions for two weeks but the aldermen have made an exception and will advertise the police chief opening till the end of January.