The Missoula Police Department will hold two public forums with the five candidates selected to move forward in the process of selecting a new Police Chief.

Interim Missoula Police Chief Mike Colyer spoke out on the current search for the new chief and offered some insight into the work that the MPD performs every day.

“It’s just a huge honor. I look around at all of our great people and the really important work they do, both in a real public way out there, and then also a lot of great work that no one really sees or hears about that goes on in interview rooms and offices and such, and so to have a chance to represent them is just really a humbling opportunity. Proud to do it.”

Colyer continued by offering some recommendations to the candidate who will be chosen as the new Chief of Police.

“Missoula Police Department has a really proud history of doing excellent police work, and we’re really service oriented. I feel like we really answer the bell. Every time something’s needed from us, we really come through, so that’s first and foremost,” Colyer said.  “And then how do you do that? I think you do that by taking care of and supporting your people. They are the ones that make us all look good, and so if you support those people, trust their good work, and tell them what we expect of them, I think that would continue our proud history moving forward.”

The public forums with the five candidates will be held on December 10 from 3:00 to 5:45 pm and December 11 from 2:30 to 5:15 pm . Both forums will be held in room 151 of the Missoula County Courthouse. Each candidate will deliver a prepared presentation within a 40-minute block. Afterwards, the public will be able to pose questions to the candidate.

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The following is from a press release from the City of Missoula.

The candidates are:

Michael R. Cobb works as Police Captain in the Richland Police Department in Richland, Washington. He is also interim director and operations manager of Benton County Emergency Services. He has 37 years of experience in law enforcement. He earned an undergraduate degree in education at Eastern Washington University. He also trained through the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission at the Reserve Police Officer Academy, the Basic Law Enforcement Academy and the Northwest Command College.

Darrin T. Grondel has been executive director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission since 2012. Previously, he joined the Washington State Patrol as a trooper in 1992 and progressed to Division Commander of the Commercial Vehicle Division of the State Patrol. He earned an undergraduate degree in political science at Brigham Young University, a Master of Public Administration at The Evergreen State College and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership at Brandman University, as well as training at Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.

Garrik Haynes has 17 years of law enforcement experience with the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department. He began as a police officer and has worked as a detective and in various management positions and today is Operations Sergeant with the department’s Professional Development & Research. He earned a certificate in Spanish Immersion at Murray State University, an associate degree in Computer Information Management at Ashworth College and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing at Ashworth, as well as numerous certificates from the KCMO Police Academy.

Scott Hoffman has been assistant chief of the Missoula Police Department since 2013. He has 27 years of experience in law enforcement and has worked as Administrative Captain, Detective Sergeant, Patrol Sergeant and Patrol Officer. He studied Accounting and Business Administration at the University of Montana and completed a session at the FBI National Academy at the University of Virginia.

Jaeson D. White has 28 years of law enforcement experience in patrol, specialized tactical units, investigative units and administrative positions. He currently works as Assistant Chief with the California Highway Patrol. He earned an undergraduate degree in Public Administration/Criminal Justice at California State University, Chico, and a JD degree at the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

The candidates will be interviewed by an interview committee comprised of the following people from the community:

  • Stacie Anderson, Missoula City Council
  • David Bell, ALPS Corporation
  • Dale Bickell, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Missoula
  • Meagan Bilbrey, Missoula Police Department
  • Steve Crawford, Chief of Police, Bozeman
  • John Engen, Mayor, City of Missoula
  • Mary Pat Hansen, St. Patrick Hospital Sexual Assault Review Team
  • Ivan MacDonald, filmmaker/researcher, Blackfeet Nation
  • Suzanne Peterson, police commissioner
  • Shane Sangrey, diversity specialist, University of Montana College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences
  • Matt Stonesifer, Missoula Police Department

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