By Elyssa Parnell

eparnell@civitasmedia.com

Harvey
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_Al-Harvey.jpgHarvey

NEWBERRY — Newberry city officials said a search for a new police chief will begin soon, but for right now, the department is continuing to adjust to recent changes and is running smoothly under the command of Acting Police Chief Roy McClurkin.

“Roy McClurkin has been with the department for 32 years and has served this community very well in all professional aspects,” City Manager Al Harvey said. “He’ll continue as acting chief until a further decision is made.”

McClurkin stepped into the role of Acting Police Chief following the departure of Dennis Brown, who served as chief for less than a year after leaving a similar position in Folly Beach in 2014.

Brown was hired following the recommendation from a citizens panel after it whittled the 24 applications it received down to 10 and then to five.

Harvey said in the past, using a selection committee has served well to find qualified candidates and in all probability they will use that process again. Typically the committee is a five-member citizens committee that represents a cross-section of the community.

Harvey said there is no potential timeline for when the search will begin but it will be soon.

“I’ve just kind of allowed the department to settle back down and get into a new routine again,” Harvey said.

The position will be advertised when the city is ready for the search to begin, Harvey said.

While the last committee did an excellent job in screening and interviewing to make its recommendation, Harvey said they would probably use a different committee this time around.

“It would contain community leaders who are well known and well respected in their individual professions,” Harvey said. “We haven’t made a decision yet as to what the process will be.”

At least one member, possibly two on the committee, will be law enforcement professionals from within South Carolina, he said. The process is laborious and requires a lot of time, Harvey said.

Harvey said they will be looking for someone with extensive law enforcement administration experience particularly at the chief level as a candidate for the position. At a larger organization, the candidate could also be at the Assistant Chief’s level, he said.

Reach Elyssa Parnell at 803-276-0625, ext. 1868, or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.