Police Chief: Minnesotan In the running
By Bobbi Mlynar
Originally published 11:54 a.m., November 29, 2007
Updated 11:54 a.m., November 29, 2007
The Northfield (Minn.) News reported this afternoon that its police chief, Gary G. Smith, has been contacted about becoming chief of the Emporia Police Department. Smith told News reporter Suzanne Rook, however, that no offer had been made to him.
“Smith, who has been on a medical leave of absence since mid-July, said he spoke with Emporia city officials last Saturday, but that to date no offer has been tendered,” Rook reported.
Smith’s medical leave was to have a surgical procedure that the News earlier reported was not life-threatening.
Clark Morrow, a captain with the Olathe Police Department, accepted the job of chief earlier this month and was to start the job on Dec. 17. He rescinded his acceptance formally on Monday, and the search for a chief resumed.
City Manager Matt Zimmerman said that he planned to visit with the second of the two finalists who had been considered for the job.
Smith has been in Northfield about eight years, the News reported, and in recent months “his relationship with City Administrator Al Roder has been strained.
“The two were often at odds, particularly after the chief called a July 3 news conference to disclose an estimated 150 to 250 young Northfielders were abusing heroin and the prescription drug OxyContin.”
The News said that after Smith went on leave, it was revealed that he had begun a criminal investigation of Roder, which later was taken over by the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Department. That investigation is not yet finished.
In a blog dated Nov. 17, Smith said that he had traveled through Emporia.
“He said today the visit was to familiarize himself with the city,” the News article stated.
“Smith said he expects he’ll be able to say late this week whether or not he’s a viable candidate for the Emporia job,” the News reported. “He continues to recover from October spinal surgery that was to relieve numbness in his hands. He said today it will likely be the first of the year before he can return to work.”
hawks422 (anonymous) says...
Any candidate with this much baggage shouldn't have made it out of the HR office let alone one of two top prospects! It makes you wonder what processes the individual or individuals responsible for doing the hiring are going through to hire your next Chief of Police? Emporians should be wary of the fact the Acting-Chief now (Who is more than qualified) decided not to put his qualifications in the running! Could it be lack of support from above....funding....the pool of qualified candidates is virtually zero because of exactly those reasons.
Policing should be the cities TOP priority and unfortunatley it takes a back seat to many low priority issues the city is facing. Wake up Emporia!!
November 29, 2007 at 3:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Hillbilly (anonymous) says...
hawks, I was thinking the same the first time I read about him, he has been on medical leave for the last 6 months?? What will happen to him once he is here so that he will once again be on sick leave, is this a pattern with this cop??? I think that the hiring practices of zimmerman and the city managers are
substandard and its time someone got a hold on Emporia's problems
And if a person applies for a job, does he usually do it because he wants a job?? doesn't know yet if he wants to be a VIABLE CANDIDATE?, damn does Emporia want to give this guy a gun and a badge???????? scary
and why would lopez want it, he now sits around making over $34.00 per hour, including overtime last night at the meeting, Not a bad wage when you dont have to do much, jmo
November 29, 2007 at 3:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawks422 (anonymous) says...
greenday, nobody is condeming the guy for having back surgery, it's just problmatic for the city to bring in someone who has a history of medical problemsand possible conflicts with other city management. I think it's a big red flag...
November 29, 2007 at 3:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
siamesefred (anonymous) says...
if you want more info on the the man, his local paper is www.northfieldnews.com
November 29, 2007 at 3:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawks422 (anonymous) says...
hillbilly, I think anybody with any common sense would realize this candidate is problematic. It's fair to say that the city could be lowering it's standards just to get a Chief in the position that has been empty for some time now. However, I think you do lopez a great dis-service to say he just sits around, lets not forget he was given the responsibilty to clean up after two former chiefs that didn't pull their duty with the department and to try and do it with virtually little money and a small perctange of support from the city commission. Anybody willing to take on the Chief's position now, better be willing to take it on the chin, when he/she goes to the city for new equipment, manpower, and raises because it just isn't going to happen.
November 29, 2007 at 4:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
maybe he has a good education and thats why he is a finalist. at any rate i hope we get someone whose decent
November 29, 2007 at 7:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
howdo (anonymous) says...
why can't we look at deputy cheif Williams? Seems to me that he has already been doing a big part of the cheif job anyway. would it be so bad to give the job to someone that is here and is already a big supporter of our local community? I hope that he does not get too discouraged by being overlooked. keep up the good work mr. williams.
November 29, 2007 at 8:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporian (anonymous) says...
Because if they gave it to Deputy Chief Williams or Lopez the city would only have 8-10 police officers cause the rest would quit.
November 29, 2007 at 9:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
howdo (anonymous) says...
So what is stopping them now? Seems to me that at least on of these two guys if not both are "acting" chief currently. People will find anything to complain about. Look at all of the complaints already for the two candidates that have never even occupied the position.
November 29, 2007 at 9:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Hillbilly (anonymous) says...
if I may emporian, I would like agree with you about the number of police officers that would remain, not many, seems like you also have some knowledge of the internal problems within the police dept.
And now they are thinking of combining the sheriff and city police depts, WOW how much money will that cost the taxpayers, both county and city, just think of uniforms, decent cars, and every thing else that would have to be obtained. Yes yours and mine taxes will go up again. and will the protection be any better and the response time any better? NO not being neg, just looking at the truth, some times that needs to be done.
November 30, 2007 at 8:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawks422 (anonymous) says...
Emporia would be better served if they put Barney Fife in the Chief's position if anyone is considering placing Williams in the Chief's opening. Williams was passed up for a reason in the selection process, and he wasn't even a finalist....so please spare me the Williams card...this guy couldn't manage his way out of a paper sack, let alone a PD! Let's not forget.... you cld put the Chief of New York City in this position
and he wld fail...this problem began when Mr. Commons left the City in shambles and now these problems are rearing their ugly head. He cultivated a lack of support within the city commission...and HOWDO you must be living on MARS to suggest williams is doing a good job, this guy has zero support from within.
November 30, 2007 at 9:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporian (anonymous) says...
Howdo
The thing keeping many of them going is knowing that both of those gentleman would not get it.
November 30, 2007 at 10:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hjcary (anonymous) says...
I am going to comment on some of the earlier post regarding this article not the internal stuff that I am not familiar with. This guy with the back surgery, both my parents had back surgery over 20year ago and are fine it was not something that effected them for years to come it was something that made life better. Another thing that jumped out at me is his life maybe is hard at his current job because he didn't just close his eyes to what was going on in the community because of "who's kids were doing the drugs" He held up the law. I think in Emporia depending on who's teen is doing the unlawful thing they may or may not "get caught" This guy may be good for the community and hold some of the wealthier folk accountable for thier lifestyle and those of their kids. I am not saying that is going on as I grew up in Emporia and do not live there now but I believe it was a problem when I lived there. It may be the "rich and famous" in his town that are making his job miserable because he ratted out their kids. Who knows.
November 30, 2007 at 10:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
toolman (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
December 16, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. ( permalink )