After seven months, the search for Plattsburgh’s next police chief will continue after the common council voted 5-1 to reject the mayor’s top choice for the job.Plattsburgh Mayor Chris Rosenquest, with the help of a search committee, recommended Vermont State Police Captain Mike Manley for chief. He currently works in the area of Vergennes, Vermont.Rosenquest says a selection committee did a thorough job in considering qualified applicants.”We had a significant number of good candidates that came into the City of Plattsburgh and when those two candidates were recommended for hiring that’s what we went with,” Rosenquest said. “I think a lot of the assumption was well if this person is not going to get appointed this one is. That’s not the process.”Rosenquest said he was initially presented with two external candidates, one being Manley, from the selection committee. The other candidate dropped out, so Plattsburgh Lt. Jarrod Trombley moved into the top two. The mayor said they still went with who they thought was the most qualified choice.Some Plattsburgh residents, however, do not agree with the decision to hire outside of the department. Co-workers, retired officers, neighbors, and even family came out to support Trombley on Thursday at City Hall.”That’s where a lot of our hearts sit. The fact that if I work hard and I serve my community someday I could be chief of police,” one current Plattsburgh officer said, ” takes away that dream. It really does.”” really wants to be the chief of police of Plattsburgh because he deserves it,” a former Plattsburgh Police officer added”Jarrod is the choice you all need to make for the chief of police position,” Hillary Trombley, Lt. Trombley’s wife, said. “Jarrod is local, born and raised in this area, and we’re raising our kids in this area.”The mayor now has to talk to civil service about what they need to do next to produce another qualified candidate that council can agree on.
After seven months, the search for Plattsburgh’s next police chief will continue after the common council voted 5-1 to reject the mayor’s top choice for the job.
Plattsburgh Mayor Chris Rosenquest, with the help of a search committee, recommended Vermont State Police Captain Mike Manley for chief. He currently works in the area of Vergennes, Vermont.
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Rosenquest says a selection committee did a thorough job in considering qualified applicants.
“We had a significant number of good candidates that came into the City of Plattsburgh and when those two candidates were recommended for hiring that’s what we went with,” Rosenquest said. “I think a lot of the assumption was well if this person is not going to get appointed this one is. That’s not the process.”
Rosenquest said he was initially presented with two external candidates, one being Manley, from the selection committee. The other candidate dropped out, so Plattsburgh Lt. Jarrod Trombley moved into the top two. The mayor said they still went with who they thought was the most qualified choice.
Some Plattsburgh residents, however, do not agree with the decision to hire outside of the department. Co-workers, retired officers, neighbors, and even family came out to support Trombley on Thursday at City Hall.
“That’s where a lot of our hearts sit. The fact that if I work hard and I serve my community someday I could be chief of police,” one current Plattsburgh officer said, “[Manley’s appointment] takes away that dream. It really does.”
“[Lt. Trombley] really wants to be the chief of police of Plattsburgh because he deserves it,” a former Plattsburgh Police officer added
“Jarrod is the choice you all need to make for the chief of police position,” Hillary Trombley, Lt. Trombley’s wife, said. “Jarrod is local, born and raised in this area, and we’re raising our kids in this area.”
The mayor now has to talk to civil service about what they need to do next to produce another qualified candidate that council can agree on.
