The search for a new Sedona police chief has taken a bit of a turn as a familiar face returns on an interim basis.
Sedona City Manager Justin Clifton said former Interim Chief Ron Wheeler will be coming back again on an interim basis, as he did two years ago before David McGill was hired to head up the police department. While he said the department is in goods hands with Lt. Lucas Wilcoxson and Lt. Stephanie Foley leading the way, it is technically down both a chief and commander position.
“That’s a lot of leadership not at the department,” Clifton said.
“An interim position will help us bridge this period of transition and make sure we have enough people to do the job complete without having to cut anything short.”
He said they’ll initiate another recruitment period shortly, but with the holidays he didn’t expect a lot of activity until the first of the year. So, the city will extend the recruitment period a little longer than normal.Clifton said Wheeler, who splits his retirement time between Arizona and California, will start on Thursday, Dec. 13.
Wheeler was a Sedona commander before becoming chief in Pinetop-Lakeside.“I think we’re very lucky to have someone with his leadership and familiarity able to join us on a temporary basis,” he said. “It should make for a seamless transition and provide us the opportunity to take as long as we need to find a permanent replacement.
“I’m hopeful that if we extend our recruitment into the middle of January that a new chief could start as early as April. That said, Ron has expressed willingness to stay on if our recruitment extends beyond that time frame.”
The decision to bring Wheeler in comes on the heels of a second round of interviews in which Clifton said the four finalists were qualified but none were the fit he is looking for.
“It’s a difficult position to fill,” he said.
“The chief has to be successful internally with rallying the troops, motivating the team as well as being successful externally with the community, foster credibility while building trust and a relationship with stakeholders and citizens.
“I believe our team [city staff] and community deserves the best, so sometimes people are highly qualified but just not quite right for what we need, given all those expectations.”
Clifton stressed that while in the end the decision is up to him, candidates go before a citizen panel as well as one made up of current high-ranking law enforcement officers from around the state — this time from Tempe to Cottonwood. The candidates also meet with a panel of SPD officers.
Within the citizen panel, a scenario is created in which the candidates are presented with a low-probability yet high-risk situation. They simulate an angry citizens demanding actions and information from the chief. The panel then shares the results with Clifton.In terms of the law enforcement panel, he said they are adept at identifying who is ready to take on any challenges the job may bring.
“It’s not just a matter of knowing when I see it; collectively we’re sharing notes at the end of this process,” he said.
He noted that when McGill was hired, he was a near consensus pick, ranking first or second among all the interview panels. While the city pays well, especially in terms of its department heads, that salary is often counterbalanced by the cost of housing.
Clifton said during his tenure there have been a handful of potential hires — including during the recent round of chief interviews — in which a candidate is offered the job but declines because of housing shortages.“I feel strongly that police chief is one of those positions where the person should live in Sedona or very close, such as David McGill, who lived in the Village,” he said.
“I’m not comfortable with our chief living in Cottonwood or Clarkdale or some other incorporated communities, admittedly where the housing is more reasonable. That’s a real challenge.”
