By Kate Reardon
Herald Writer
OAK HARBOR — Steve Almon chose Oak Harbor over Oklahoma.
Almon, 48, will be sworn in as the city’s new police chief this morning, filling the position left open after the city decided not to renew the contract for former chief Tony Barge.
Barge’s contract was not renewed because city leaders and Barge could not agree on a future vision for the department, said Krista Blackburn, administrative assistant to Mayor Patricia Cohen.
Barge had been police chief since 1994.
Capt. Rick Wallace has filled the position on an interim basis since Barge left the post in August. But he did not apply for the top job.
Almon has been in Oak Harbor since earlier this month. He’s already gone on ride-alongs with officers.
His first visit to Washington was during his interview for the job.
"We came up here for the interview and said, ‘Yeah we know it’s going to be pretty,’ but then we fell in love with it," he said.
A selection committee chose Almon from 48 applicants, Blackburn said. He will make $78,000 a year.
City staff will have the chance to meet Almon during a reception following the 8:30 a.m. swearing in.
The selection committee included people from law enforcement, the police association and administration.
"Every one of them said, ‘This is the guy,’ " Blackburn said, adding that it was his grasp of management, budgets and overall style that put him on top of the stack.
Almon comes from El Reno, Okla., a city of 17,000, where as police chief he managed 43 employees.
"We heard they were very sorry to lose him," Blackburn said.
Prior to that, Almon worked as police chief of Guthrie, Okla. He also served 20 years on the Wichita police force in Kansas.
The Oak Harbor Police Department employs about 44 people and operates on $4.2 million a year. The city’s population is about 20,000 people.
Almon has a master’s of science degree in management and a bachelor’s of science degree in management of human resources. Almon graduated from the FBI National Academy and is a past participant in the Arkansas Leader, an FBI executive management program.
He was appointed by Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating in May to serve on a seven-member commission that oversees the activities of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations. The commission hears complaints and serves as a buffer between the bureau and potential political pressures regarding investigations.
"It was a real honor to be appointed to it," Almon said.
Almon and his wife, Connie, will live in Oak Harbor. They have three children and five grandchildren.
You can call Herald Writer Kate Reardon at 425-339-3455 or send e-mail to reardon@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
