Officers interview for top cop job in Kalispell

By JOHN STANG

The Daily Inter Lake

Roger Nasset, Wade Rademacher and Scott Warnell joined the Kalispell Police Department within six months of each other in 1994.

On Wednesday, the three interviewed for the job of city police chief.

The interviews were mostly public. But the interview committee's recommendation to City Manager Jim Patrick was made during a discussion in a closed session because of personnel reasons. Patrick expects to decide by the end of the week whether he accepts that recommendation.

Then Patrick's nomination will go to the City Council for a vote.

The city government is looking first at internal candidates to replace Frank Garner, who plans to retire in December after 21 years - eight as chief - on the Kalispell police force.

If Patrick does not nominate an internal candidate, the search will expand elsewhere.

The internal candidates are:

. Nasset, the lieutenant in charge of detectives. He has been a patrol officer, drug task force member, patrol sergeant, Special Response Team leader and a detective. He was a Montana Policeman of the Year. And he led the multi-agency investigation that led to the conviction of prominent businessman Dick Dasen on charges of prostitution and sexual abuse of children.

. Rademacher, a patrol sergeant. He has been a patrol officer, the department's first school resources officer, Special Response Team leader, field training coordinator and an acting lieutenant in charge of patrol officers. He also was a Montana Policeman of the Year.

. Warnell, a patrol sergeant. He has been a patrol officer, a DARE/community resources officer, a Special Response Team member, a school resource officer and a detective.

All three support a proactive, community-policing approach similar to the status quo. And all three prefer a somewhat hands-on management style with seeking training opportunities for officers. Each is involved in community activities outside of work.

Each said the other two would made good police chiefs.

Also, all have made potentially sticky drunken driving arrests. Warnell once arrested Flathead County Commissioner Bob Watne for drunken driving, while Rademacher and Nasset each arrested police officers from other departments for the same offense.

Rademacher wants to increase the number of patrol officers, saying that section is understaffed, especially on the swing shift. He said that shortage is hurting the department's efforts at proactive community policing.

He also thinks that the city's code enforcement officer should be transferred from the Planning Department to the Police Department, with that individual given more enforcement authority.

Nasset wants to create a planning position to analyze and map out what the department should be doing, especially with the population growing in and around the city.

Although the interviews were public, each candidate had the option of closing portions to the press if he had privacy and personnel concerns. Warnell took that option for about 10 minutes when he discussed changes he would like to see in the department.

The interview committee consisted of Patrick, City Attorney Charlie Harball, police advisory board members Bob Burch and Robin Balcom, consultant Tom Osborne and Bozeman police Chief Mark Tymrak.