SPOKANE-- Mayor David Condon will select a new police chief for Spokane in a few weeks. KREM 2 News looked into where past Spokane Police Chief's came from, and how they left their career with Spokane Police.
Mayor Condon stated from the beginning hewanted to hire a new chief from somewhere outside the Spokane Police Department. Past chiefs have come from outside Spokane as well.
In 1987 the city hired Terry Mangan as chief. Mangan came to Spokane from Bellingham, and was regarded as well liked by the department. He retired in 1998.
Upon Mangan's departure, Officer Alan Chertok of Virginia was hired to take his place. In May of 1999 Chertok was placed on paid leave while the sheriff investigated claims he made to a high school class. Chertok told students his predecessor, Chief Mangan, was a suspect in the Robert Yates serial killing investigation. Chertok resigned in 1999.
Next, veteran police officer Roger Bragdon took over the office after working his way up the ranks in the department. He retired after seven years.
Jim Nicks filled the vacancy after being appointed interim chief in 2006. In the one year he served as chief, Nicks became entangled in the Otto Zehm death investigation. He made statements to the media about the incident that he later changed during a grand jury testimony. Last fall Nicks was called as a witness for the prosecution during the Karl Thompson trial. He retired as assistant chief last year.
Chief Anne Kirkpatrick came to Spokane from Federal Way in late 2006.During her tenure she went under fire for the wrongfultermination of several officers.After facing several lawsuitsKirkpatrick retired in January.
SinceKirkpatrick's departure Interim Chief Scott Stephens has run the police department.
Three external candidates came to town Wednesday for a formal interview process.
Mayor Condon is expected to announce the new Spokane Police Chief by the end of summer.
To see interviews with each individual candidate click here:www.spokanecity.org/services/citycable5/streamingmedia/
