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Harrington approved as East Helena police chief

Posted at 2:01 PM, Apr 17, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-17 16:01:08-04

(EAST HELENA) The East Helena City Council has approved the city’s acting police chief to fill the job permanently.

Council members voted to offer the position to Deputy Chief William Harrington at their meeting Tuesday night. Mayor Jamie Schell recommended Harrington for the job.

Harrington has served as the East Helena Police Department’s acting chief since December when the previous chief, Mike Sanders, resigned after just four months on the job.

Schell said the city opened the position up for internal candidates, and Harrington was the only applicant.

Harrington has been in law enforcement for more than 16 years and with the East Helena Police for close to 11 years. He was also a finalist for the chief’s job last year, when Sanders was hired to replace retiring chief Dale Aschim.

“Mr. Sanders did an amazing job; he moved this department forward in the short time he was here,” said Schell. “I know Mr. Harrington learned a lot from him.”

Schell said one of the biggest issues for the new chief will be dealing with the ongoing challenges connected with drugs.

-Reported by Jonathon Ambarian/MTN News