Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub’s top candidate to be assistant police chief is an internal candidate.

City Councilman Jon Snyder, the chairman of the city’s public safety committee, said Friday that Straub’s choice is Capt. Rick Dobrow.

Dobrow started work as a police officer in Stockton, Calif. in 1982, according to a department newsletter. He joined the Spokane force in 1994. Dobrow was given the department’s purple heart award after a serious motorcycle crash in September 2006.

Assistant Police Chief Craig Meidl informed Straub last week that he was stepping down and wanted to return to being a lieutenant.

According to previous Spokesman-Review reports, Dobrow was headed home on his police motorcycle on Sept. 26, 2006 after a day of training and was stopped at a red light at Monroe and Francis when he saw a BMW sport utility vehicle speed through a turn and nearly crash. He pursued the SUV, which sped up.

A van at Dalke Avenue pulled in front of Dobrow, and he slammed into it, according to previous news reports. Dobrow was hospitalized for nearly two weeks, including 10 days in intensive care.

CAPTION FROM 2007 PHOTO: Spokane police Sgt. Rick Dobrow talks about motorcycle helmets and his accident that left him with critical injuries last September. Dobrow is back on duty and will push to have motorcycle officers use full helmets instead of the three-quarter helmet he was wearing.

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