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The Elk River Vision <br />A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community <br />engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity <br /> <br /> <br />Request for Action <br /> <br />To <br />City Council <br />Item Number <br />8.2 <br /> <br />Meeting Date <br />May 6, 2024 <br />Prepared By <br />Cal Portner, City Administrator <br /> <br />Item Description <br />Police Chief Recruitment <br />Reviewed by: <br />Cal Portner <br />Lauren Wipper <br />Tina Allard <br /> <br />Action Requested <br />Direct, by motion, city staff to solicit quotes for the recruitment for a police chief. <br /> <br />Background/Discussion <br />Police Chief Ron Nierenhausen has announced his retirement from law enforcement and public service <br />effective May 31, 2024, after 35 years of faithful service. The city practice is to go to market for employee <br />replacements. A police chief recruitment requires additional layers of evaluation and possible testing. The city <br />administrator recommends using an executive recruitment firm to conduct the search. <br /> <br />The Elk River Police Department has at least two viable candidates who are encouraged to apply. Staff will <br />review the job description to ensure relevant experience is accounted for to provide the strongest pool of <br />candidates. <br /> <br />In the interim, the city administrator recommends the administrative captain and patrol captain continue in <br />their roles and manage the department in the upcoming absence of the chief taking the necessary actions in <br />the city's interest. <br /> <br />The city administrator met with nearly the entire department (41 members) who clearly expressed their <br />support for the captains in the interim. <br /> <br />Financial Impact <br />The department budget includes sufficient funding due to the delayed hiring/onboarding of the newly added <br />receptionist, patrol officers, CSOs and the chief vacancy after May 31. <br /> <br />Mission/Policy/Goal <br />The City of Elk River Mission <br /> <br />Attachments <br />None <br /> <br />Page 158 of 254