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Tumwater police and fire updates: new deputy police chief, promotions, medic unit staffing and large recruit turnout
Summary
Tumwater officials reported a new deputy police chief effective Oct. 1, upcoming promotions, the startup of a county medic unit in the city running at about 80% staffing, a crisis-response partnership and a large recruit event that drew about 60 attendees.
Carlos Keyless began his official appointment as deputy chief of police on Oct. 1 after serving in the acting role since March, department leaders told the commission. Keyless, who said he has worked for the city since 2002, described local promotions and ongoing recruitment efforts as helping address staffing needs.
Keyless said the department has a recruit in the academy who graduates next Wednesday and will enter field training for about three and a half months; another recent recruit completed the first phase of field training. He also said the department is advancing implementation of body-worn cameras and will present an update to the Public Health and Safety committee next Tuesday.
"We're gonna use Public Safety Testing like we did with the sergeant's assessment center," Keyless said, describing the external testing firm the department will use for lieutenant and other promotional processes.
The commission also heard a report from the fire department. Director Selderman reported that the department plans oral boards next week to refresh lateral firefighter and paramedic lists and expects to bring updated lists to the commission in November. Selderman said the city helped staff an eighth medic unit in Thurston County (Medic 8), based at the North End Fire Station on Linwood Avenue; the unit will operate at about 80% availability as staffing builds.
"That's gonna be running about 80% of the time as we continue to build up our staffing," Selderman said.
Selderman added that a crisis response program with Olympic Health and Recovery began Oct. 1, and the fire department held a large recruit event that drew at least 60 people, including attendees from as far as Portland, Oregon. He said the event kicks off the entry-level firefighter test cycle the department holds around January.
The commission noted other personnel movements: Detective Brent Baker will be promoted to sergeant on Oct. 16; the lieutenant promotion will create a vacancy the department expects to fill through the approved exam plan, and that promotion will in turn create another sergeant vacancy to be filled internally.
Commissioners praised the recruitment turnout and the cross-department coordination on promotions and staffing.
The commission confirmed its next meeting for Nov. 13.
