Trenton is continuing to search for its next police chief.
Chief Arthur Scott, who was hired in 2013, retired in October, and the city has been recruiting since, said City Manger Marcos Nichols. To date, 29 candidates have applied.
“I was pretty excited about the number (of applicants),” Nichols said.
The city developed a brochure about the position in the recruiting effort. Marcos said the city is open to outside and internal candidates.
Trenton’s population is estimated at about 13,000 and the department has grown since 2016 by four officers for a total of 18. There is also a school resource officer assigned to Babeck Elementary School.
“The city is growing,” Nichols said. “We have three subdivisions in the process of building out. That will mean more calls.”
He said the dispatch center has had four full-time employees for about 20 years, but the number of calls calls has continued to grow.
In 2020, the center dispatched 11,468, police and fire/EMS calls.
“One of the things I am interested in is that we continue to provide a high quality of service for our residents with regard to our dispatch,” Nichols said. “They are the backbone to the first responders and it’s very important to make sure that calls are taken care of promptly and accurately. I am looking for recommendations from the incoming chief.”
He said it will also be important for the new chief to continue to implement updated policing standards to obtain important certifications.
Selection of a new chief is expected by June, with the deadline to apply of April 9. Interviews will be conducted with a search committee.
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