Battle Ground narrows search for police chief to 5

The city of Battle Ground has selected five finalists for the police chief position.

City Manager John Williams worked with Prothman Co., the Bellevue-based firm the city hired to conduct the search, to select the five finalists from 30 applicants.

The finalists are:

• David Allison, a police captain with the Roseville, Calif., Police Department. He has worked for the department since 1988, and prior to that was a police officer with the Santa Monica, Calif., Police Department for seven years.

• Rex Caldwell, an operations captain with the Kirkland Police Department. Caldwell has worked for the department since 1981 and has been academy commander for the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission Basic Law Enforcement Academy in Burien since 2008.

• Mark McBride, a police captain with the Idaho Falls, Idaho, Police Department. He’s worked for the department for 31 years.

• David Porter, a police captain with the Flint, Mich., Police Department. He’s been with the department for more than 21 years.

• Robert Richardson, a police commander with the Irvine, Calif., Police Department. He’s worked for the department for 30 years.

The finalists will go through a series of panel interviews with Williams, city staff and community members on Oct. 27. Following the interviews, the city will conduct a series of additional background verifications.

The city hopes to have a new police chief in place by the beginning of the year, said Bonnie Gilberti, city spokeswoman.

The salary range for the chief position is $96,368 to $114,551 annually, plus benefits.

Robert Carden, a retired police chief with 37 years of law enforcement experience, has served as interim police chief since Jan. 1.

Marissa Harshman: 360-735-4546 or marissa.harshman@columbian.com.