“We feel it would provide a fair and unbiased way ... (of selecting the next police chief) ... by having the evaluations conducted by people in the law enforcement business,” Howard said.
The village will begin advertising for the position in July through the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police; it hopes to hire a chief by the end of September or the beginning of October.
Retired Centerville Police Chief Stephen Walker is filling in for 90 days while the village advertises the position and interviews candidates to find a permanent replacement for former police chief Troy Callahan.
Callahan resigned June 1 after a controversial tenure as police chief. In a settlement agreement, the village agreed to pay Callahan his salary of $52,000 over 52 weeks and pay for health benefits for one year or until he finds another job.
Howard said he is excited about the 40 years of police experience and stability Walker brings to Enon’s police department. He served as Centerville’s chief for about 15 years.
“Already in three days, he is working on several projects and involving officers in policy issues,” Howard said. “Enon is not Centerville, but there’s still a lot of things you just have to have, like core procedures. He realizes that.”
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