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Council considers expedited appointment of police chief nominee Tory Mac; background checks remain in process
Summary
Council members debated moving forward with a resolution to appoint Tory Mac as Decatur’s chief of police with an effective date of June 2 while background screening steps were described as ongoing.
City Councilors debated an expedited appointment for Tory Mac to become Decatur’s chief of police, with a resolution containing salary and residency conditions presented and seconded but the meeting record not showing a final vote.
A council member read a drafted resolution that would appoint Tory Mac to the exempt-service position of chief of police with a starting salary of $151,413.72 and an effective start date of Monday, June 2, 2025, and a requirement to relocate and establish residency in Decatur within 12 months. The resolution text was moved and a councilor seconded the motion on the floor.
During discussion councilors and staff described the hiring process as atypical and said pre-employment checks were underway. Council members said Mac is ACOS certified, a polygraph had been scheduled or completed through the ACOS process, and background and credit checks were in progress. Several councilors said they had contacted references, including former officials who provided favorable recommendations.
Some councilors asked whether more of the usual pre-offer screening should occur before a formal appointment; others said the department and human resources had worked closely with the candidate and that references and prior contacts justified expediting the start date. The presenter said the administration expected to finalize screening elements within several days and anticipated bringing final paperwork to a future council agenda if additional approvals remained required.
The resolution language included reimbursement for allowable moving expenses and stated that the police department budget would be charged accordingly. The record of the meeting discussion did not include an explicit roll-call vote on the appointment during the provided transcript excerpts.
Council members asked staff to continue and complete required background screening and to report back to the council; staff indicated they would present additional information on the next council agenda if needed.
