Middletown police leadership shuffling, testing ongoing to fill one top spot

Earlier this month the department’s one lieutenant and six of the 10 sergeants began the testing process for the position of deputy chief. Acting Police Chief Eric Crank, who was a deputy chief when former Chief David Birk was placed on leave in December, will retire on April 19. The testing is for that open deputy chief position.

On March 5, Middletown City Council unanimously approved a voluntary separation agreement with Birk and the city, ending a nearly three-month paid administrative leave of the longtime officer. Birk was given an additional year’s pay as part of the agreement, but no reason given has been given for his departure after an alleged internal investigation.

“Birk and council, along with its employees and agents, specifically and unequivocally deny any wrongdoing, and the parties further state that there has been no determination of wrongdoing made by any of the parties,” the separation agreement says.

City Manager Paul Lolli said Andy Warrick, now deputy chief, will become acting chief when Crank departs until testing for the new position is conducted and completed.

Those testing for the current vacated deputy chief position are:

The process will finish up in the next week, according to Crank. They have finished the written assessment and are doing the interviews.

Middletown fire and police chiefs have to be hired from within, and contractual obligations say the ranks all the way down also have to be filled internally, Lolli said.

“Once we get it figured out who the major (deputy chief) will be due to the retirement of Crank, we will post for the position of chief,” Lolli said.

Eligible for that position would be current deputy chief Warrick and Lt. Malcomb Tipton.

“You have to be in the rank for a year before you can test for the above position. The lieutenant can test for the chief’s position even if he was the one to get the deputy chief’s position,” Lolli said.

The test has to be competitive, so if either the deputy chief or the lieutenant chose not to test for chief, “then we would have to go down to the sergeant rank.” Lolli said.