The City of Elizabethton has whittled down their selection pool to four candidates to become the new Chief of Police with the Elizabethton Police Department.
An open records request filed by the Elizabethton Star on Monday, Oct. 25, identified the names of the four individuals currently in the running for the position:
• Jason Shaw
• Chris Mathes
• Kenneth Davis
• Robert Fisher
Shaw is the current interim chief with the EPD and has been with the department since 1999. Shaw was named interim following the resignation of previous chief Greg Workman — who left the position in September to become the city’s new purchasing director.
The other candidate with a name notable in the area is Mathes. The former Carter County Sheriff — term ending in August 2014 — is working as a public safety officer on the East Tennessee State University Campus.
Davis is the Assistant Director of Preparedness with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). The former Jefferson City Chief of Police has over 30 years of public safety experience at the state, local and federal levels and has a doctorate in public safety.
Fisher works with the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Basic Law Enforcement Director and previously worked with the University of North Carolina – Asheville Police Department.
With the search beginning early October, the city began with 12 candidates. Of the 12, the city selected six to participate in an “assessment center” process facilitated by the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS), according to a release issued by the city manager’s office.
The six candidates were then subjected to three different exercises — structured interview and two job-related simulations by a panel of four experts that are from “out of town and experienced in the hiring and assessment process,” according to the release.
The exercises were developed based on five key competencies, according to the city, including:
1) Management Skills and Principles
2) Knowledge of Current Legal Issues
3) Analytical Skills and Knowledge of Technology Resources
4) Interpersonal Skills
5) Work Habits and Motivation
The four candidates were scheduled to go through a background check and standardized psychological assessment this week. The final step will include an interview with City Manager Jerome Kitchens with all information compiled for each of the candidates. The city will then make a hire for the position.
A hire is expected to be made during the week of Nov. 6.