Rathdrum council tables update to police chief job description after lengthy discussion on degree and certification requirements

RATHDRUM ' The Rathdrum City Council discussed proposed revisions to the city's police chief job description, including education and Idaho POST certification requirements, and voted to table the item while staff prepares a rewritten draft.

Staff presented an updated job description that would require candidates not already certified by Idaho POST to obtain Idaho POST advanced or management certification within 12 months of hire; the change was intended to broaden the candidate pool for a nationwide search. The draft also included a line referencing a bachelor's degree in police administration, criminal justice, law enforcement or a related field. Councilmembers asked whether the degree should be required or preferred and whether related degrees (for example, business administration or education) should qualify under a 'related field' designation.

Councilmembers and staff discussed how Idaho POST certifications work: one certificate route (the advanced certificate) requires college credit hours (a bachelor's degree satisfies those credits), while the management certificate can be earned based on supervisory service and does not necessarily require a college degree. Several councilmembers said they did not want the city to exclude experienced law-enforcement candidates who might lack a bachelor's degree but hold relevant POST certification or decades of supervisory experience. One councilmember argued that a bachelor's degree should be required; others favored language that requires a bachelor's degree but allows latitude for related fields or, alternatively, retains the bachelor's degree as required but clarifies preferences.

Staff said the draft can be reworked to separate required experience from preferred qualifications and clarified that Idaho POST certification may be obtained after hire when appropriate. After debate about whether to postpone the hiring process while language is refined, a motion was made and seconded to table the police chief job description and return a revised draft at the next regular council meeting. The motion to table passed.

What was clarified in the meeting

- Idaho POST certification: Council and staff clarified there are different POST certificates (advanced and management). The advanced certificate requires college credits (a bachelor's degree would meet those credits), while the management certificate can be earned without a degree but requires supervisory experience. Staff said the city can require candidates to obtain needed Idaho POST certification within 12 months of hire if they are not currently certified in Idaho.

- Education language: Council asked staff to reword the education section to make clear whether a bachelor's degree is required or preferred and to define what constitutes a 'related field.'

Next steps

Staff offered to gather sample police-chief job descriptions from neighboring agencies and to rewrite the document; council voted to table the item and return with a revised draft for consideration at the council's next regular meeting.