Interviews wrap up for Hastings Police chief

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by Josh Egbert

Story Created: Oct 9, 2012 at 5:49 PM CDT

Story Updated: Oct 9, 2012 at 6:30 PM CDT

The mayor, city administrator and several city council members make up a committee in charge of selecting a new police chief. Tuesday afternoon they completed the interview process with the four candidates.

All four candidates bring years of police experience to the table. But despite their years of service, they're still facing challenges if named the new chief.

"Trying to develop some earned respect with the community coming as an outsider, that's always a difficult thing," said Chief BJ Wilkinson.

"There's a few things that I'd like to see with some consistency and some training and stuff but for the most part we're functioning pretty well," said Captain Adam Story.

"The country, Grand Island, and Hastings are facing some financial issues and how that impacts the police department is we're still expected to meet the mission, we're still expected to get the job done," Captain Pete Kortum said.

"We still have our budgetary challenges that are going to be expensive for a long time to come and were just going to have to make due with the best that we can with the limited resources that we have," said Captain Gene Boner.

For 14 years, the department was ran by Larry Thoren. Changes are possible as a new chief takes over.

"The officers that work for me are always encouraged to be involved in as much of the city and the community and their churches, and schools, and parks and recreation as possible," Wilkinson said.

"For the most part we're functioning really well and I'd like to continue a lot of the programs Chief Thoren had started," said Story.

"Environments change. That's part of policing. Will there be changes? Sure, because our work environment is going to change," said Kortum.

"I'm a big believer in if you're the captain of the ship and it's going in the right direction, then let it keep going its course. If you have to make some minor course adjustments along the way, so be it," Boner said.

The committee in charge of selecting the new chief will now meet to discuss who the best fit would be for Hastings. That decision should come in the next few weeks.

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