Interim Chief Appointed
Seadrift’s Chief of Police, Roger Tumlinson, presented his letter of retirement to the City Council at a special meeting on March 29. Chief Tumlinson has served in the Seadrift Police Department for seven years and has been Police Chief since 2006. His retirement will be effective April 15, but his last official day on the job will be April 2, as he is due two-week’s vacation time.
Mayor DeForest and Council members accepted his letter of retirement, thanking him for his service and noting that his tenure as Chief has been marked by great communication between the Police Department, City Council, and the citizens of Seadrift.
The Council voted to advertise to fill the vacant position, and to appoint an Interim Chief until the position can be filled. Chief Tumlinson presented several options to the Council on filling the Interim position, noting that an Interim Chief can legally be appointed for one year; this Interim Chief would not have to be paid a Chief’s salary; and that an officer must attend the Police Chief school before officially becoming a Police Chief, and there are currently no openings for said school. One option would be to contract with the County Sheriffs Department, but the downside of that is that there would be no personal interest in the town and that any ticket revenue would go to the County, not the City.
The Chief recommended that the current part-time patrolmen be given full-time positions until a Chief can be found. He noted that since Mr. Frank Cervantes and Mr. Chris Driver have been on the force, crime is down 50%. The two patrolmen have been thorough about checking doors, issuing citations, and making arrests, including one drug-bust. There has not been a single complaint against them, only compliments.
After speaking with Mr. Cervantes and Mr. Driver, Council voted to appoint Frank Cervantes as Interim Police Chief, with Chris Driver continuing on the force until the positions are officially filled. They can, of course, apply for permanent positions. Mr. Cervantes, who has been staying part-time in Seadrift, will immediately move his residence to town.
Frank Cervantes has been in police work for seventeen years and has been working part time in Seadrift for almost one year. Chris Driver formerly worked as a jailer in Victoria, and began working part-time as a Seadrift patrolman in December.
In related business, Council voted to set monthly salaries for patrolmen and Chief. These were set at $2,400 minimum and $4,000 maximum for a deputy and $3,000 minimum and $4,500 maximum for a chief. These are based on a 40-hour work week, not including benefits.
Chief Tumlinson, who will be staying in the Seadrift community following his retirement, said he would be pleased to help the two officers (at no charge to the City) as a consultant, or as a reserve officer, should they need back-up.
