Woodland names interim police chief

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WOODLAND — Former Clark County Sheriff Garry Lucas was approved by Woodland City Council to serve as interim chief for the Woodland Police Department during the council’s Nov. 21 meeting.

Council approved Lucas during its meeting to fill a temporary role as the city looks for a new chief after current chief Phil Crochet’s intent to resign by the end of the year was announced in late September.

Woodland City Administrator Peter Boyce said he had met with Lucas earlier that day to discuss the role, mentioning that Lucas was “eager to serve” in the interim role in Woodland.

Lucas has most recently served in an interim chief’s position in Ridgefield earlier this year before the city selected their current chief John Brooks. Boyce explained that the agreement before council was essentially a “carbon copy” of what Lucas’ agreement with Ridgefield was save one change regarding his possible start date as Nov. 28.

In regard to compensation, Boyce said Lucas would receive $9,000 per month, adding that there would not be benefits on top of that payment, making it in line with the city’s budget parameters next year.

Woodland council member Benjamin Fredricks stressed that getting leadership in the chief’s position was paramount for the city.

“I think it’s very important that we have leadership in that department now. I don’t want to wait. I don’t think it’s a good idea, I don’t think it’s in the city’s best interest to wait any longer,” Fredericks said.

Council member Susan Humbyrd said that although she did not know Lucas personally, she had heard positive feedback from people in Ridgefield about his time there.

Fellow council member Al Swindell said that he did know Lucas for many years, mentioning the fact that he had been elected and re-elected as Clark County Sheriff for 24 years.

“He has the track record here locally besides being the interim chief with the city of Ridgefield,” Swindell said. “He is full of integrity, he is a hard worker. He knows his job.”



Swindell said that he would “heavily recommend” Lucas’ appointment to the interim role.

Council member Jennifer Heffernan voiced displeasure with having the item added to the agenda with such short notice, explaining that it wasn’t until that day she knew the approval would be in front of the council. She said given the short notice she was not able to learn anything about Lucas to make what she felt to be an informed decision.

“I understand the need for the leadership, and he probably will do an excellent job, but I don’t like something coming up last minute and I have no chance to prepare,” Heffernan said, explaining she owed it to the citizens to make an informed decision.

Heffernan asked that an executive session be called prior to voting on any motion so she could be brought up to speed on the hiring of Lucas, though ultimately that did not end up happening as council deliberated that what information they had was already discussed.

Fredricks said he understood Heffernan’s concerns, but felt the approval was an “emergency” decision.

Approval of making Lucas Woodland’s interim chief passed council 6-1, with Heffernan voting no.

Woodland Mayor Will Finn explained earlier this month that through information from Crochet’s resignation letter and conversations with Boyce, Crochet’s last official day with the city would be Dec. 31. His last meeting with Woodland council was Nov. 7, with Finn explaining that he would be taking time off in the meantime.

Finn said that in looking for a permanent replacement the process would be undertaken internally as opposed to contracted out, with the decision to hire going through different interview panels in a similar process as was done for Boyce earlier this year as well as Woodland’s new Public Works Director Michael Strauch who was ceremonially sworn in to the city Nov. 7.

Finn mentioned that as with Boyce and Strauch’s hiring, he would not be actively involved with making the hiring decision.