Palouse continues search for officer

The City of Palouse’s effort to hire a new officer continues after a potential hire, an applicant from the Seattle area and originally from Biloxi, Miss., did not accept the offer in January after an expenditure of $950 on his background check and testing.

Reasoning had to do with the compensation package, according to Palouse Mayor Michael Echanove.

Chief Jerry Neumann interviewed another candidate Jan. 22, a second-year veteran and Washington state academy grad. Neumann indicated that if this person is hired, he or she will need additional training. Because of this, Officer Terry Snead will need to stay on duty during this training. Snead, a reserve, has been on duty since the retirement of Joe Merry Nov. 28.

After listing the officer job opening since last September – and raising the salary offering in November – the department got its second applicant in December, deemed him qualified and brought him to town to interview. The candidate then advanced to required polygraph testing, fingerprint background check and psychological tests.

He interviewed with Neumann, and met with Echanove and city staff, also interviewing with the city council’s Police, Fire and Safety Committee.

Garfield contracts with Palouse for policing, so a new officer would work in both towns.

Neumann has said the Palouse department seeks a person with a few years’ experience, as opposed to a new recruit.

“He was a real nice guy,” said Echanove of the candidate who turned down the job. “He would’ve been a lot of fun. He’s a southern gentleman.”