No insiders applied for police chief's job, city manager says

A city leader said the reason no one was tapped internally to be the new police chief in Cape Girardeau was simple: No one wanted the job.

Cape Girardeau city manager Scott Meyer said to his knowledge, one internal candidate applied for the position but withdrew that application before a hiring decision was made.

"I don't remember any others," Meyer said.

Strategic Government Resources, a firm that offers training, development and recruiting services to local governments, helped with the search for a new chief, Meyer said.

Late last month, city officials announced Wes Blair, a 16-year law enforcement veteran who has served as interim chief of police in Lancaster, Texas, would be Cape Girardeau's new top cop, replacing Carl Kinnison who left in August to become director of Southeast Missouri State University's Law Enforcement Academy.

Blair's annual salary will be $84,240, Meyer said.

As with other city employees, Blair will work on an at-will basis, meaning he does not have a contract, Meyer said.

As an outsider, Blair faces a learning curve, but lack of familiarity also has its advantages, Meyer said.

"I think when you bring in someone that isn't within the organization, you have fresh eyes and also sometimes other ideas that they bring that maybe people in the organization haven't seen in actual operation," Meyer said. " ... The down sides are that he doesn't know his personnel, so he takes time to get to know their strengths and the strengths of the department he has."

Blair has expressed enthusiasm for community policing.

"You've really got to get out there as a police department and make contacts, connections with the residents," he said in a recent telephone interview.

Blair impressed decision-makers with his background, which includes experience working in communities the size of Cape Girardeau, his communication skills, and his willingness to learn, Meyer said.

"My first priority is just to get in and get a good feeling for the community and for the culture of the department," Blair said. "Obviously, as a new chief, you never want to come in and say, 'I have all the exact answers.'"

City officials will bring Blair up to speed on current projects, but they also will look to him for input on initiatives under consideration, including electronic ticketing and a new police station, Meyer said.

The department has outgrown its current station, which sprawls across two buildings.

Last week, the Cape Girardeau City Council discussed possible funding options for a new station, including a renewal of a tax on restaurant gross receipts, a capital improvement tax or expansion of the telephone tax.

The restaurant tax has been used for tourism, and several council members have expressed support for using it to pay for the new station instead.

Meyer said renovating and expanding the existing building to meet current needs would cost as much as building a new structure.

Blair has been through the process of moving from an obsolete station to a new, state-of-the-art public safety center in Lancaster.

The old station was a 1970s Ford dealership that couldn't accommodate the needs of a modern law enforcement agency, Blair said.

When the city replaced it with a new facility, efficiency, community support and even the crime-solving process improved, he said.

For instance, Blair said, the design of the new building encouraged more informal interaction among officers from different divisions, which led to better sharing of information and impromptu brainstorming.

"You're going to see more enhanced teamwork because there's going to be interaction between departments," he said.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

40 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.