PORT TOWNSEND — Mike Evans will stay in place as the interim Port Townsend police chief until at least the end of the year, according to City Manager David Timmons.
“We will need to hire two or three patrol officers by the end of the year, and I want to get that out of the way before I make a decision about what to do with the chief’s position,” Timmons said.
Timmons named Evans, 47, interim chief in June, although he began serving in that capacity in April, when Chief Conner Daily began an extended vacation.
Daily, who served as chief since 2005, retired in July.
Timmons said the hiring decision is whether to promote Evans to the position permanently or conduct a search.
“We need to determine whether we are better served by going outside or with a known quantity,” Timmons said.
Evans, hired in 2000, was promoted to detective in 2002 and to sergeant in 2006.
He worked as a grant writer and safety administrator before his promotion to deputy chief two years ago.
Evans is earning $94,344 annually. Daily received an annual salary of $97,536.
Aside from Evans, the department has three sergeants, one detective, seven active officers and one in training.
There are two vacancies: one officer and the deputy chief position.
Evans’ promotion would create a vacancy in the deputy chief’s position, which Timmons could fill internally or leave open to hire another patrol officer.
The department had three vacant positions. One was filled by Brandon Farstad, a 2001 Port Townsend High School graduate who last worked on a tribal police force in Skagit County. Farstad began work Monday.
One vacancy will be filled by Mark Dumond, whom the city is putting through the academy.
The city hopes to test potential new recruits at the beginning of October to determine whether to send them to the academy, a prerequisite to fill vacant positions.
Timmons said the city’s difficulty in recruiting officers comes from a negative public attitude toward the police.
“There is such disdain for police officers in the media, so why would you want to become one?” he said.
“It’s hard for us to find qualified applicants, but I’m not going to modify hiring standards to fill a position.”
Timmons, who has hiring authority, plans to seek input from the City Council before making a decision, although that is not required.
Evans has said he would probably apply for the chief’s position should Timmons decide to do a search.
He said his priorities as interim chief are to build partnerships with the mental health and medical communities as well as the schools and the Sheriff’s Office.
He is also focused on updating and revising the department’s training program and establishing training programs.
While Evans is still formally deputy chief, he is now wearing a chief’s badge that was passed down to him by Daily.
“I’m taking this job one day at a time, which is what I’ve always done,” Evans said.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.