North Liberty close to selecting new police chief

The North Liberty Police Department's motto is “To adapt and overcome.”

During the last six months, officers have put their commitment to that motto to the test. In February, longtime police Chief Jim Warkentin left the department, the reasons for which have not been disclosed. A month later, three North Liberty officers were involved in a shooting that left a civilian dead. The shooting was determined to be justified, but the officers involved did not return right away, leaving the agency understaffed for a time.

Since then, the department of 16 officers has been without a permanent leader, though Lt. Diane Venega, a veteran of the department since 1999, has filled in as interim chief.

“I can say it's been challenging and quite a learning curve,” Venega said this week. “I think the biggest challenge is just the unknown and that's pretty much for all of the officers. Depending on who is selected – what's going to change in the department, what's going to change with schedules; policing style?”

There is light at the end of the tunnel, however. North Liberty Mayor Tom Salm said the application process for the open chief position closed on July 13. A search firm hired by the city to find a new chief, Des Moines-based Moulder and Associates, has 50 candidates and will be working to whittle that list down to 10 finalists.

That list should be complete by early August, and city administrator Ryan Heiar said hopes to have a new chief by the end of August or early September.

Salm said he hasn't seen the list of applicants, but added there are a “wide range of applicants” from 13 states.

“It's actually a little more than I expected, to be honest with you,” Salm said of the number of applicants. “So yes, I'm happy with the quantity.”

The quality of the applicants is yet to be determined.

Salm said Moulder and Associates, which is run by two retired Iowa police chiefs, visited North Liberty during the application process and interviewed the city council, city staff, community members, business owners, North Liberty police officers, as well as officers from surrounding departments, to get a sense of what the community is looking for in its next chief.

While the list of desired qualifications hasn't been finalized, some themes have emerged.

“We want a police chief that is community-oriented,” Salm said. “Visible. Proactive.”

Added North Liberty city administrator Ryan Heiar, “Somebody personable, willing to visit with community members and reach out and connect with the community…Somebody who can really connect with the community and also somebody who, obviously, has that technical knowledge of policing.”

Venega said the new chief should be focused on community-oriented policing and “responding to the demands of what the public expects or demands from their police department.”

While officers are uncertain what a new chief will mean for them, Venega said they are “absolutely” ready for both stability and security.

Heiar said the field of 50 applicants will be sent questionnaires that will help Moulder and Associates to narrow their list. He said there will likely be “multiple” interview committees and the chief will be selected by the city council. There will be some public involvement in the search, though the city has not finalized what form that will take, Heiar said.

For now, city leaders are “trying to keep our hands out of it,” Salm said of the search process. He wants the public to be confident the process is completely transparent and free of bias.

Venega credited the work of the sergeants and officers who have “stepped up” over the last six months. She confirmed that she did apply for the job, but said that getting the best person selected for the position will be a “win-win” for everyone involved.

“It's a win for the community,” she said. “It's a win for the department.”

Heiar praised Venega's role in making the last six months as smooth as possible.

“Diane Venega has done a tremendous job in filling the role as interim chief,” he said. “It's been a much easier process than I thought it was going to be.”