Assessment will be part of selection for next Warren police captain

Staff report

WARREN

When the Warren Police Department selects its next captain from among two candidates next month, it will revert to a process not used in several years – an assessment by veteran law- enforcement officials, in addition to a written test.

The last two police chiefs – current chief Eric Merkel and former chief Tim Bowers – were selected based only on a civil-service exam.

But Merkel said he thinks an assessment is a good idea for chief; the next highest rank, captain; the rank below that, lieutenant; and the one below that, sergeant.

Lt. Jeff Cole and Lt. Martin Gargas are the two candidates seeking to become captain to replace Janice Gilmore, who retired recently. Gilmore was in charge of the road-patrol division. Cole has been acting captain since Gilmore left. Gargas is afternoon-shift commander.

The assessment for captain will be done by three or four high-ranking police officers selected by Clancy & Associates, which handles promotional exams for the Warren Civil Service Commission. An assessment involves a panel of paid officers asking candidates questions and devising role-playing scenarios.

Merkel said assessments were not used in recent years, possibly because of the cost, but Merkel said he thinks the cost is warranted if it delivers the best candidate.

The assessment will count as half of the score; the written test counts for the other half.

Merkel said a panel of three to four volunteer community leaders selected by Merkel will be used to conduct “scaled-down” assessments for the next openings for lieutenant and sergeant.

Each person selected for the panel will participate in a seminar given by Clancy & Associates to advise them on what to look for, Merkel said.