Future of Nickerson police force up in air

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By DARCY GRAY

The Hutchinson News

NICKERSON, Kan. (AP) -- Two part-time police officers will aid the Nickerson Police Department as city officials look for a new police chief following Larry Eckhoff's resignation.

Although a search had already begun for Eckhoff's replacement because he had earlier announced his plan to retire, Eckhoff abruptly resigned as the Nickerson City Council discussed screening the candidates to replace him.

After Eckhoff informed council members Monday night he wouldn't be returning, the council named Officer April Addis as interim police chief in a 4-2 vote.

His resignation has revealed a discord between the police department and the City Council over how his successor should be named. It's also brought to light conflicting opinions about whether the town of about 1,200 people should have a police department at all.

On Tuesday, Eckhoff, 67, said Addis has attended training sessions over the past year in preparation to become the new police chief once he stepped down. Eckhoff indicated he had planned to stay on as a police officer until Addis was comfortable in her new position.

Addis acknowledged she had attended a weeklong police chief seminar in December 2008 in Hutchinson, along with administrative training in July and a law enforcement supervision class that lasted at least three days. She estimated the city had invested about $2,000 in her training.

According to Eckhoff, his retirement and Addis' appointment as his successor were presented to the council in an Oct. 5 meeting, and council members rejected Addis' appointment in a 4-2 vote. Last month, Eckhoff placed an ad in The News for the police chief position and said there are now six candidates, including Addis.

On Tuesday, Mayor Bill Golding noted the council's vote in October was "not to say that April is not a good candidate, but some felt we should open the position to all applicants, and we encourage her to apply."

He acknowledged there were conflicting opinions over how the position should be filled.

Council members Dale Brown and Brad Berridge said Tuesday they were not aware Addis had been training to become the next police chief.

"We wanted to see the applications and that's what set him off," Brown said Tuesday. "He wants one particular person for police chief and that's not fair. We've never hired without putting an ad in the paper."

But according to Eckhoff, the council kept pressing him for a retirement date, prompting his resignation.

Both Eckhoff and Golding acknowledged some council members would prefer there not be a police department in the small town.

"Some feel we don't need it because of the town's size, budget and personal reasons," Golding said, adding city officials don't "micromanage" but leave it up to department heads to "train and mold employees in the next step of certification."

Brown said he supports the police department but thinks the town needs only "a day and night officer, and part-time officers filling in." He acknowledged city officials in the past year decided not to fill an open position in the police department, cutting the department's staff to three, but also increased the remaining officers' wages.

Brown said there was no rush to replace Eckhoff, as it will take time to consider the applicants and conduct background checks.

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