Former Spokane chief coming to Richland. It’s the 2nd interim chief in less than 6 months
A former Spokane police chief will take over Richland’s police department, but only for a matter of months.
City officials have picked Craig Meidl to head the department for the next three to six months while the city finishes its second search for new chief, city officials announced on Friday. He’s expected to start on April 15.
“We are confident that Chief Craig Meidl’s extensive experience, proven leadership, and commitment to community policing will serve the city of Richland exceptionally well during this transitional period.”
He will be the second interim chief for the department since former Chief Brigit Clary left the department at the end of the year. It’s unclear whether the current Interim Chief Dave Neher is leaving the city or stepping back into his former role as deputy chief.
Meidl spent more than 30 years in law enforcement, the last seven years as the head of the Spokane Police Department. He left at the end of the year just ahead of the incoming mayor, Lisa Brown.
He told the Spokesman-Review that he planned to retire soon, but her election pushed him to make it sooner rather than later.
His leadership has been recognized by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Frontier Behavioral Health, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and former Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward, the Spokesman-Review reported.
He’s held a lengthy list of positions at the Spokane department, including Crisis Intervention Team Commander, internal affairs lieutenant, liaison to the Office of Police Ombudsman, major, and assistant chief of police.
He’s also a U.S. Marine active reserves veteran and a graduate of the FBI academy.
Chief search
The city has been largely quiet about its second search for a police chief after rejecting both of its previous applicants in earlier this year.
The city has been looking for a new chief since September.
The position’s annual salary range is $149,000 to $208,000, according to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.
The Richland department has 73 commissioned officers, 22 professional staff and also oversees the emergency dispatching services for Benton and Franklin counties.
The city had asked the association to handle the first search, and narrowed down the 11 applicants to two — Port Orchard Chief Matthew Brown and Selah Chief Dan Christman.
About three weeks after bringing them to the city, officials decided neither were a good fit.
It’s not clear if the city has started a new search or plans to continue using the association to assist in its search. It also hasn’t shared a timeline for the new search.
