Nicks won’t seek police chief’s job

When he weighed the Spokane Police Department’s future needs with those of his personal life, Jim Nicks figured the scale was tipped too far one way.

Right now it’s the wrong way for Nicks, who announced Wednesday he has taken himself out of the running for appointment as Spokane’s next police chief.

“It was a tough decision, but it was the right decision,” said Nicks, who added that he and his family have been mulling over his next step for two months. “It was a family decision.”

Being police chief means dedicating most of your time to the department. A chief has to spend 60 to 80 hours working each week, he said. “I can’t commit to that right now.”

Nicks, 48, who still has two children at home, said he doesn’t plan to retire for about 10 years. The job of chief is so demanding that most serve only about five years, he said.

Deputy Chief Al Odenthal, who described Nicks as a family man, said he wasn’t too surprised when he heard Nicks’ news.

“When you’re chief, your life is not your own,” Odenthal said. “Your workday doesn’t end when you go home at 4 or 5 p.m.”

Nicks was appointed acting chief on Dec. 19 by recently retired Police Chief Roger Bragdon and former Mayor Jim West. Nicks will remain in the post until a new chief is appointed by Mayor Dennis Hession.

A selection is expected to take at least two months, said Hession, who announced Wednesday he is planning to open the job to applicants from across the country. Odenthal is among those in the running.

Nicks informed Hession he was stepping aside from consideration before the announcement of the nationwide search, Hession said.

His decision to look outside the department, Hession said, should not be viewed as a reflection on the qualifications of Nicks or Odenthal.

Nicks said he supports the mayor’s decision about the nationwide search.

“What’s important is picking the right person, not how fast someone is appointed,” said Nicks, adding, “the next chief needs to have the Police Department’s and the community’s support.

Hession is appointing a five-member selection committee to review applications. It will be headed by Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch and either City Council President Joe Shogan or Shogan’s designee. Also named to the committee is Yvonne Lopez-Morton, a Washington State Hispanic Affairs commission member from Spokane. Two other persons have yet to be selected.

“I want to be able to show that the person we select for that position is the absolute best person we can get,” Hession said. “It is an absolutely key position in city government, and we have to make sure we do it right.”

In the meantime, Hession said, he has told Nicks he has his support for running the department.

“I want him to feel he’s in charge of that department,” the mayor said.