At a June 4 St. Helens City Council work session, city staff presented the result of a police‑chief recruitment process and recommended the council appoint Sergeant Smith as the next police chief, contingent on a successful background check and council acceptance.

The recruitment panel, staff said, included police chiefs from Wilsonville and Canby, Sheriff Ryan Pixley, Councilor Hubbard and a nonvoting police‑association representative. “Sergeant Smith came out on top and is the highest scoring candidate,” John (staff member) said, and staff recommended the council approve him as the next police chief.

The recommendation followed an announcement that Chief Joe Hogue plans to retire effective in June. John (staff member) said Hogue has nearly 27 years of service and that the city needs leadership in place during the transition. “Whether he's appointed or not appointed, I'm still recommending that Matt Smith be appointed as acting chief,” John said, referring to operational needs while the background check proceeds.

Councilors were given two options: approve Sergeant Smith as the new chief or direct staff to go to an external recruitment process. The work session did not contain a formal council vote on the appointment; staff said the item would come before the council for action at the regular meeting that evening.

Why it matters: the appointment would fill an immediate leadership vacancy in the St. Helens Police Department and shape department operations through the transition from Chief Hogue to a new chief.

Discussion points and next steps included confirming a successful background check and the council’s formal acceptance at its next meeting. No formal appointment or final vote was recorded during the work session.