The St. Helens City Council moved June 4 to confirm Sergeant Matthew Smith as the city’s next police chief following an external, panel-based recruitment and evaluation process.

Ashley (city staff) told the council the city contracted with the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) to help design an independent recruitment process. The evaluation panel included two outside chiefs (chiefs from Canby and Wilsonville), Columbia County Sheriff Pixley, a representative of the St. Helens Police Officers Association, and Councilor Hubbard as the council liaison. The panel scored written responses and conducted interviews on May 29, and it rated Sergeant Matthew Smith as the top candidate.

Dan Tannell, representing the St. Helens Police Officers Association, told the council the association "overwhelmingly supported Matt Smith as the best person for the job" and said the internal selection process worked. "The process worked ... and the people that are keeping this street safe supported the process," Tannell said.

Public comments before deliberations included sharply critical remarks from several speakers who said the city had mishandled the prior chief's departure and questioned the fairness of the process. One speaker urged councilors to recuse a named councilor from decisions related to law enforcement while a lawsuit and possible state investigation unfolded.

Councilors described the process to the public: the OACP helped draft written and interview questions, outside chiefs helped moderate and score responses, and the evaluation panel produced a clear top choice. Councilor Hubbard and other panel members who spoke called the process fair, with one councilor saying the outside chiefs’ questions and evaluation were "eye opening" and credited them for impartial assessment.

The council approved two related motions in public session. First, the council moved to confirm the city administrator’s appointment of Sergeant Matthew Smith as chief of police contingent on successful completion of a comprehensive background investigation and appropriate psychological and medical examinations. That motion passed with recorded affirmative votes from Councilor Sunning (recorded as "Aye"), Council President Chilton, and Councilor Gunderson; one councilor recorded an abstention in the transcript excerpt.

Second, the council separately moved to confirm the city administrator’s appointment of Sergeant Matthew Smith as acting chief of police effective upon the retirement of Interim Chief Joe Hogue and until the council confirms a permanent chief or otherwise directs. That motion also passed on recorded affirmative votes from councilors present; the transcript shows Councilor Sunning, Councilor Gunderson and Councilor Hubbard voting "Aye." Mayor Massey declared she would not participate in the discussion and did not intend to vote.

Councilors and staff accepted the OACP recommendation to form a transition team to support the new chief in his first year: OACP representatives would assemble a transition team to assess department strengths and weaknesses and work with the new chief during an initial transition period.

The council’s confirmations were conditioned on the standard hiring clearances; staff said follow-up will include a background report and the recommended OACP transition team support.