22 apply to be Corbin Police Chief

Officially vacant since early March, interest among would-be candidates for the position of Corbin police chief is high as city officials report that 22 people submitted applications to fill the slot before Monday’s deadline.

The city’s Board of Commissioners voted last month to open up the hiring process for the position. Many answered the call, and the applications include retired police officers, current officers inside the police department and others within the area and even from out of state.

"They are from all over," said Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney Tuesday. "We’ve got them from right here and also from other states like North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana and even Maine. We are tickled to death there are so many people interested in this. We will have a lot to choose from."

Retired Kentucky State Police Trooper David Campbell has served as interim Chief since shortly before former Chief Carson Mullins retired in March. Campbell is among the applicants seeking to win the position on a permanent basis. Within the department, veteran officers Major Bruce Rains and Captain Tim Helton are also seeking the job.

McBurney said the city’s Police and Fire Personnel Board would likely meet this week to narrow down the candidates and possibly conduct some interviews. He said the board would make a final recommendation on who should fill the position to City Manager Bill Ed Cannon, who in turn will present it to the five-member Commission.

Commissioners Phil Gregory and Joe Shelton serve on the Personnel Board along with Cannon, Police Chief David Campbell and Fire Chief Barry McDonald. McBurney said for obvious reasons, Campbell would not be a part of the Board’s decision making in the hiring.

The Board, which serves in an advisory capacity, was set up to help choose new hires in the police and fire departments only. It does not meet regarding other positions in city government and is not normally convened to select department heads in any department, even the Police and Fire Departments. The ultimate decision on hiring for the position rests with the commission.

Cannon said at the regular monthly meeting of the city commission in April that he would like to have someone to recommend hiring at its next meeting. The commission will meet in regular session next Monday at 5:00 p.m.

McBurney said Tuesday he thought it was unlikely the Personnel Board would have a recommendation by then.

"If there were just six or seven applications, we might be able to do it, but with so many it will take longer," McBurney said. "I’m glad there is a lot of interest in our police department and our town. It’s a good problem to have."