NEW CHIEFS WILL BE MISSED, SAY BOSSES

While Cape Girardeau officials are thankful their search for police and fire chiefs is over, the task is just beginning in two other cities.

Police Chief Richard Hetzel of Norcross, Ga., and Fire Chief Daniel White of Springdale, Ark., begin their new jobs in Cape Girardeau in January. Mayors and others in their hometowns say the two will be missed.

The chiefs completed their final interviews and were hired Monday morning. Norcross Mayor Lillian Webb found out she was losing her police chief soon afterward. She said the news was bittersweet -- she was happy Hetzel was moving up, but there will be a void in the police department.

"He worked well with the community, the business leaders and the schools," Webb said. "Inroads had been made in the schools by some of the gangs, and Richard worked with the school board to get them out."

Hetzel became police chief in Norcross, an Atlanta suburb, in 1992. The town has about 6,000 residents and 25 police officers. Cape Girardeau has 36,000 people and a 91-member police department.

Norcross soon will change its form of government from a city manager to mayor-councilman form. After losing two city managers in four years, the Norcross City Council voted Monday to return to the mayor-city council form.

Cape Girardeau has a city manager form of government.

An article to run in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution says Hetzel will take a pay cut when he moves here. He makes $54,000 a year in Norcross and will make $51,500 in Cape Girardeau.

In the article, Hetzel was quoted as saying his decision to move had nothing to do with the planned government reorganization, which must be approved by the state. He wanted to get closer to his hometown of Jefferson City.

The article supported Hetzel's statement at a Monday press conference, when he said he helped turn the Norcross Police Department from one of the worst departments in the Atlanta area to one of the best.

The department was in turmoil before Hetzel took over in 1992. A longtime chief had quit after allegations that he failed to collect $300,000 in outstanding bail bonds -- allegations that proved false. A replacement quit after seven months.

In 1991, several officers sued the department, claiming they were held to an illegal ticket quota to measure performance.

Webb said Hetzel lifted morale and established various programs to better police relations with the community.

Springdale leaders said their fire chief, Dan White, didn't have such turmoil to deal with. Instead, he had to handle a department that went from 46 firefighters to 75 and three stations to five in just over a decade.

Jim Morris, editor of the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas in Springdale, said White will be sorely missed.

"Dan has seen the department through all kinds of growing pains," he said. "I think Cape Girardeau is getting a first-class individual in Dan White. I hate to see him leave."

White was with the department for more than 20 years, serving as fire chief for the last 10. Under his supervision, the fire department began providing ambulance service. All firefighters had to become emergency medical technicians or paramedics.

Springdale Mayor Charles McKinney said the fire department was among the best-equipped in the state thanks to White.

"We have been really fortunate," he said. "Dan gets along great with his men. We have had practically no turnover since he has been chief."

White oversaw five fire stations in Springdale, a city with about the same population as Cape Girardeau. Cape Girardeau has four stations.