The Denton Police Association is not on board with the city's decision to conduct a national search for a police chief, saying candidates should come from Texas.
Chief Roy Minter is leaving the department for a position in Arizona. The police association said it does not want the city to hire a new chief with a "stepping stone" mentality toward the job.
"We've always felt like there are qualified candidates that can be identified within the North Texas region," said Doug Boydston, the president of the Denton Police Association.
City spokesman John Cabrales said the city manager decided to conduct a nationwide search after Minter announced he was leaving.
"A police chief can make or break a police department," Cabrales said.
Denton has conducted a national police chief search for more than 20 years.
"Our experience has been, if you have a thorough vetting of the candidates, then you are able to compare candidates, local as well as outside of the Denton area and outside of the state of Texas, so you know when you select a candidate that you have selected the best possible candidate out there to lead this department and the community," Cabrales said.
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But Boydston said a local hire would provide more stability and would save the city thousands of dollars.
"We feel like a person closer to this area would be more likely to stay, not come in and move on," he said. "With the economic times, the $20,000 to $30,000 could be better spent."
During the national search, retired police Capt. Paul Abbott will serve as interim chief.
