City officials held a meet and greet for three police chief candidates at the Stikine Inn on Monday evening, Nov. 11. Wrangell has been searching for a new police chief since the retirement of Doug McCloskey, who was chief from 2003 to this year. There were three candidates at the meet and greet (left to right): Thomas Radke of Kenyon, Minnesota, Eric Hurtado of California City, California, and Derek Bos of Brush, Colorado.
Wrangell residents had the opportunity last week to meet three people who are interested in the position of Wrangell Chief of Police.
The job has been open since former chief Doug McCloskey retired this summer. Eric Hurtado, Thomas Radke, and Derek Bos are all from out of state and have experience running a police department.
Eric Hurtado
Eric Hurtado received bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from the University of Phoenix in 2002 and 2005, respectively. He worked as a lieutenant with the California City Police Department from 1993 to 2010. Hurtado served as the California City Chief of Police since 2011, until he recently retired a few weeks ago
according to California City City Manager Anna Linn. Hurtado has also served as police executive for the California City Police Department from 1991 to the present. In his resume to borough officials he describes
himself as a "resourceful, accomplished, and dedicated law enforcement executive with over 29 years of extensive experience in municipal policing."
Linn said that the community of California City and its police department have come to like and trust Hurtado. With the police department, she said that he trains and trusts the people under him, but is not afraid to pull rank when necessary. He leads by example and has been very generous with his time, she said.
"The community was in mourning when he retired," Linn said. "He's a great guy, the community loves him and we wish him the best."
Thomas Radke
Thomas Radke earned a bachelor's degree in political science and criminal justice from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1990, followed by a master's degree in public safety and administration from the University of St. Thomas in 1992. He joined the police department in the City of St. Paul, Minnesota in 1994. He was promoted to sergeant in 1999, then later worked as commander of the City of St. Paul Police Department from June 2016 to December 2017. He joined the Kenyon Police Department as a police officer in June 2018, where he currently works. His resume also lists him as the owner of Red Savoy Pizza in Red Wing, Minnesota, which he acquired in 2017.
"I was excited to see your opening for Chief of Police," Radke wrote in a letter to borough officials. "As a Law Enforcement professional with over 25 years of experience, I am confident I have the qualifications required to become a beneficial member of your team."
Doug Henke is the mayor of Kenyon, and described
Radke as a man with great experience and great interview skills. He is someone who really fits into a community once people get to know him, he said. Kenyon Police Chief Lee Sjolander said that the community has come to really like Radke, originally referring to him as "that tall guy from St. Paul" when he first moved to their town. He described Radke as a very polite but stoic man he has made good friends with.
"He has been in charge of a good number of officers over a good number of years," Henke said. "I'll tell you this, I think he could beat up a bear with a switch if he wanted to."
Derek Bos
Derek Bos, of Brush, Colorado, graduated from the Pikes Peak Regional Law Enforcement Academy in 1999. He also holds a bachelor's degree in political studies with an emphasis on criminal justice from Dordt College, earned in 2006. His resume states that he has also taken classes at Reformed Bible College and online with Colorado State University. He served as a patrol deputy with the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office in Colorado from 2006 to 2008, and was promoted to corporal in 2009 and again to sergeant in 2011. He became Patrol Division Commander in 2013 and Undersheriff in 2015. In December of 2018 he took the Chief of Police position with the police department of Brush, Colorado. His resume also states he has owned and operated DNA Solutions LLC in Arapahoe and El Paso Counties since 2016.
"I bring with me a significant amount of experience in law enforcement administration and supervision," Bos wrote to borough officials. "I have years of experience in policy development, training, and implementation within law enforcement agencies, government entities, and non-non-profit entities."
"He's been here nine, ten months and has done a great job so far," said Brush City Administrator Monty Torres.
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