By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Derek Loshe has been promoted within the Decatur Police Department and the department is narrowing the field for the hiring of a new officer.
Loshe, a 12-year veteran of the PD, has been a sergeant for the past five years.
He will assume his new post on Monday, Dec. 16, Chief Kevin Gerber told the Decatur Board of Works and Safety at its recent meeting.
As a lieutenant, Gerber said, Loshe will serve as supervisor of the staff’s sergeants.
“He has taken on a lot of the duties that Mark (Cook, who recently retired) was doing, Gerber noted, in addition to other duties Loshe has within the department.
Meanwhile, Gerber said the process for hiring a new officer has been winnowed to five candidates. Next step is interviews.
An opening was created with the September resignation of Jagg Nunez.
At full strength, the Decatur police force consists of 20 officers, including the chief and Assistant Chief Chris Brite.
On another matter, the board approved the city’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bellmont High School for the PD’s staffing of a School Resource Officer (RSO).
Also approved was a contract with Renovate Counseling Services used to “help the staff stay in compliance with police procedures were are implementing,” Gerber said.
