MISSOULA — Residents will soon have a chance to meet the candidates who are in the running to become Missoula’s next police chief.
A pair of public forums with the five finalists will be held on Dec. 10 from 3 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. and on Dec. 11 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Both meetings will take place in Room 151 of the Missoula County Courthouse.
The forums will feature three candidates one day and two candidates the other day; each candidate will have 40 minutes of that block, and there will be a 15-minute break between candidates. Each candidate will give a presentation on a pre-assigned topic and then answer questions from the public.
The candidates will also be interviewed by a selection committee, meet with interested Missoula Police Department officers and staff, meet with the Missoula Police Association board, meet with University of Montana Police Department Chief Marty Ludemann, tour police department facilities and tour the community.
The candidates will also meet individually with City of Missoula Human Resources Director Kathy Crego.
Chief Mike Brady completed his service on Nov. 26. Captain Mike Colyer is serving as interim chief until the new chief is in place. Colyer is not an applicant for the position.
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
