Last week, the Coeur d’Alene City Council had a lot on its plate. In addition to regular agenda items, the body was set to select new fire and police chiefs to take over for Coeur d’Alene Fire Chief Tom Greif, who will retire after 30 years on April 16, and Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White, who retired in January. The Coeur d’Alene City Council unanimously approved the hiring of Jake Bieker as fire chief, a step up from his current position as fire captain.
However, the decision for who will lead the city’s police force was less straightforward. Interim City Administrator Ron Jacobson (previously mayor of Post Falls) recommended the city select Fort Collins, Colorado, Deputy Chief Greg Yeager, the Coeur d’Alene Press reports. Some members favored promoting internal candidate Dave Hagar, who is serving as the interim police chief. “I think Dave has earned this,” Council member Dan English said during the meeting. Former Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl was also a finalist for the position, but received no votes last Monday. By the end of the night, the council was split 3-3 between Hagar and Yeager for police chief, with Coeur d’Alene Mayor Dan Gookin declining to cast the tiebreaking vote. According to the Press, Jacobson recommended that the council wait to select a police chief until a permanent city administrator is hired. Hagar will continue to lead the department until the council approves a candidate. (COLTON RASANEN)
20 YEARS LATER
March 20 marked a solemn day for community members who gathered to reflect on one of Spokane’s worst deadly police incidents. Friday marked 20 years since the killing of Otto Zehm, a developmentally disabled man, by Spokane police officer Karl Thompson Jr., who was later found guilty of excessive use of force and lying about the incident. Members of the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability, led by families whose loved ones were killed by police, gathered for a vigil and encouraged attendees to bring Snickers, since Zehm’s last known words were “All I wanted was a Snickers bar.”…