Retired Washington State Patrol Trooper James Kelly addresses Woodland community members during a police chief finalists meet and greet in March. Kelly is set to serve as Woodland's new chief following completion of a psychological exam and polygraph test.
The path to a permanent police chief in Woodland is back on track as the city council voted to conditionally approve retired Washington State Patrol Trooper James Kelly taking on the position last week.
In a special public meeting May 30 council voted unanimously to approve the hiring of Kelly contingent on clearing a background check, polygraph test and psychological exam, according to the agreement.
Kelly, of Kelso, spent 28 years with WSP before retiring in 2016, he said during a police chief finalist meet and greet the city hosted in March. He was one of four finalists invited to that event where the public had a chance to hear from the candidates.
In Kelly’s tenure at WSP he went from being a technical collision investigator to heading the commercial vehicle division at the Vancouver office before retiring, he said. Kelly was the only Washingtonian who was a finalist for the position, as others hailed from California, Illinois and Maryland.
His connection to the region was one of the reasons he felt he would be a good candidate for the job, remarking that “My heart’s always been in Cowlitz County.”
Kelly’s link to Woodland came through his children, as he explained two of his sons had previously served as firefighters for the city, he said at the meet and greet.
Woodland City Administrator Peter Boyce said Kelly’s familiarity with the area and years of experience factored in him getting chosen.
“I think he’s got a lot to offer,” Boyce said.
Boyce said the background check for Kelly has been completed, with only the psychological exam and polygraph test remaining before Woodland Mayor Will Finn has authorization to sign the agreement.
Kelly’s starting salary will be $91,800 according to agreement documents which noted that the rate was lower than the previous chief.
Kelly’s approval follows a similar approval for another individual the previous month. On April 3 Boyce had announced a conditional offer for Jeffrey Cavender, then-police chief for Momence, Illinois, and also one of the four finalists.
Following that announcement, in late April Cavender told the city that he would not be taking the Woodland job. Instead, Cavender chose Somerton, Arizona, taking the chief’s position there, according to information from the Somerton police website.
Following that detour in the hiring process, Woodland chose Kelly to take up the chief’s role.
Boyce said “it’s a good feeling” to have a chief selected after Cavender’s decision to go elsewhere, especially given the amount of time and resources that have gone into the process. The search for a new chief began in late September 2016 when then-Chief Phil Crochet announced his intent to retire from the post at the end of the year.
The nature of the lengthy search, and specifically the need to find another candidate after naming one, has caused frustration for city officials. Following Cavender’s announcement Mayor Finn had lamented what he saw as interference in the process by “individuals in the community that don’t want us (Woodland) to be successful.”
Now, however, another choice from that initial search, should his exams go through, is set to put an end to the issue.
“Hopefully we’ll have him in the seat soon,” Boyce said.
A specific start date for Kelly has not been named as of the council meeting, Boyce said. In the interim between Crochet’s leaving and a new permanent chief, retired Clark County Sheriff Garry Lucas has been filling the role.
