Shelby Township

Township supervisor ready to vote for police captain to fill chief position

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Staff Writer

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Following interviews with the department’s two police captains, Township Supervisor Richard Stathakis said he feels he’s found someone to take over as the Shelby Township Police Department’s next chief.

As part of a Feb. 15 work session, the Board of Trustees conducted interviews with Capts. Roland Woelkers and Stephen Stanbury to potentially fill the vacancy atop the department.

Stathakis said that both candidates impressed him to the point where he is comfortable recommending one for the position.

“I want to have my conversation with the board,” Stathakis said of why he did not want to publicly disclose which of the captains he would vote for.

“I was looking for a candidate who has the ability to inspire others, achieve objectives of the department, and skills in leadership and communication, and a passion to cut costs without cutting services,” Stathakis said. “That kind of creativity, which is necessary, was demonstrated.”

Stathakis said both candidates displayed many of the qualities he was looking for, but one was slightly ahead of the other.

Now that the interviews have been conducted, Stathakis said, the next step would be to schedule a work session where the board could discuss the interviews followed by an agenda item at a meeting to vote on the appointment.

“We’re just going to discuss it, and we’ll also discuss such items as, if we do make an offer, what level of pay and such items,” Stathakis said.

Stathakis said filling the chief vacancy — which has been in effect since former Chief Bob Leman was placed on leave Sept. 21, 2011, after the board voted 5-2 not to award him with a new three-year contract — would not be on an agenda until March 6 at the earliest.

Trustee Lisa Manzella said the interviews impressed her, and she feels comfortable voting for either candidate; although, she did state that Woelkers, who has been acting chief since Sept. 21, does have an advantage.

“They both talked about how they want to look at cost-cutting and efficiency without lessening the service to residents,” Manzella said of what impressed her in the interviews. “Both put the residents first, which is how it should be.”

Trustee Michael Flynn said he too was impressed with the captains’ plans for budgeting police funds, but he was not ready to say he was prepared to vote for one of the candidates.

“We need more discussion, so I wouldn’t rule that out or in,” Flynn said of whether he would vote for one of the captains.

Flynn said that his vote would largely be based on a candidate’s willingness to work with the board to solve problems.

“The most important thing is, you need to be able to assist the board in implementing policy,” Flynn said. “You want a good professional relationship with the union, but (the chief) is management and needs to think like management.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1029.