Prineville, Ore. – The latest round of candidates being considered as the new chief of police for the City of Prineville were revealed yesterday. It comes after the city decided to pass on the first round of finalists early last month. Despite being well qualified for the job city officials didn’t think any of the candidates were the right fit for the city.
“We are committed to finding both a well-qualified chief of police and one who will be a good fit for the community and the Prineville Police Department,” City Manager Steve Forrester said in a statement to Central Oregon Daily in June. “Three candidates with excellent resumes were considered; however, after careful consideration, the decision was made to continue the search.”
“Given the chief’s pivotal role, we will continue our search until we find the right leader to serve and strengthen our community,” Forrester said.
The City did not say that the other previous candidates were no longer being considered for the position.
Two of the new candidates include Oregon law enforcement professionals, one of which has a history of service with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. The other candidate is has a 32-year history of service in Arizona with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office– an office led by Sherriff Joe Arpaio who styled himself as “America’s Toughest Sheriff”. Arpaio was defeated in a 2017 election, having been first elected to the position in 1993.
The new candidates will be participating in a community meet-and-greet event taking place at the Meadow Lakes Golf Course at Ron’s Comfort Food later this evening between 6:30pm and 8:00pm. The public is invited to attend.
The candidates will then go through further interview panels consisting of public safety professionals and community leaders starting on Thursday, according to statements made by officials during last nights City Council meeting.
Below are brief biographies on the candidates:
Kenneth Booker is an experienced leader with 32 years of service in the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. During his career, he has served in various units, including the Enforcement Bureau Patrol Division and Tactical Operations, and most recently as Deputy Chief for the Bureau of Internal Oversight, Court Compliance & Training. He has also worked as an adjunct professor. He holds a Master of Science in Leadership from Grand Canyon University, a Bachelor’s in Public Safety Administration, and numerous certifications in law enforcement instruction.
Thomas Crino began his public service career as a patrol officer with the Beaverton Police Department in 2003. He has spent the last decade in leadership positions, including Training Sergeant, Patrol/Admin Lieutenant, and PS/Training Lieutenant, where he currently serves. He holds a Bachelor’s in Business Management with a minor in Political Science from Oregon State University and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Safety from the University of Virginia, as well as holding various certifications.
Chad Davis has almost 30 years of leadership experience in public service. His first position was with the City of Monmouth Police Department as a reserve Police Officer. He then transitioned to Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, where he’s held positions including Sergeant, Deputy Sheriff, and, for the last 13 years, Lieutenant. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Western Oregon University with a Bachelor’s in Science and Law Enforcement and holds various professional certificates.
The search for a new police chief came after the resignation of Chief Larry Seymour in January. The resignation followed a nearly six month investigation, the details of which were not revealed until a lawsuit was filed against Seymour and the City of Prineville alleging wrongful retaliation for whistle blowing on the treatment of a injured officer by Seymour and a former police captain.
The situation also raised questions about the City’s efforts to conceal releasing records despite exception to exemptions for such issues under public records law. The potential of legal action by the Oregonian ultimately prompted the City to release those records– which revealed the City paid over $300,000 to Seymour. The City’s also persisted briefly despite an order issued by the Crook County District Attorney for the release of the records.
