Ada County’s new sheriff vacates the Eagle police chief job. Who might replace him?
The police chief of Eagle, Matt Clifford, was appointed sheriff of Ada County on Friday to replace Stephen Bartlett, who retired in May. Clifford will be sworn in on Tuesday, when he will also leave his Eagle post.
So who will fill the vacancy?
The city of Eagle contracts with the Sheriff’s Office for its police force, and the chief there historically has held the rank of lieutenant.
In an interview on Friday, Clifford told the Idaho Statesman that he hopes the new chief will be a man who’s currently a sergeant with the force, Ryan Wilke. He said Wilke has recently been interviewed and taken the tests required to become a lieutenant.
Clifford said Wilke is “somebody that I trust. … For him, it’s very good timing.”
Wilke has not been promoted in rank, according to Patrick Orr, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office. He said that decisions about promotions will be made soon.
In the interim, Orr said that Wilke likely would serve as acting chief, with the rank of sergeant, starting Tuesday, and that the mayor and Sheriff’s Office would decide later on a permanent replacement.
Eagle Mayor Jason Pierce told the Statesman by phone Friday evening that he would be pleased if Wilke became chief.
“He has been an excellent officer in the ranks over here at the Eagle police, and I think he would work out as a wonderful chief,” Pierce said.
He said the Sheriff’s Office “always seems to find the right person to fit Eagle, and I have complete faith that Sheriff Clifford will do the same thing for us coming up.”
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