EAST HELENA — The city of East Helena is seeking a new leader for its police department.
They are currently accepting applications for a new police chief. According to the job posting, they are looking for candidates with at least five years’ experience in law enforcement. The chief will oversee up to four full-time officers and additional reserve members.
The city will be taking applications through Friday, July 9, at 4 p.m. You can find more information about the position on East Helena’s website.
Mayor James Schell says a review panel will begin going over the candidates on July 12. The members of that panel are still being finalized, but Schell said it is expected to include one or two East Helena City Council members, the chair of the city’s police commission and representatives from the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office and possibly the Helena Police Department, as well as Schell himself. That will be similar to the panel that considered candidates in 2018 – the last time the city had an external search for a police chief.
Schell said the timeline and next steps for hiring a chief will depend on the number and qualifications of candidates who apply.
“As was done in 2018, I will move the process forward collaborating with the committee, and of course the residents and community, to find the best and most qualified new Police Chief for the City of East Helena,” he said in a statement to MTN.
The next chief will be East Helena’s fourth in the last four years. The most recent, William Harrington, resigned in March while under investigation over an accusation of sexual assault. Harrington has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges of distributing child pornography, in an unrelated case.
