4 in the running for Coralville police chief

CORALVILLE - Four candidates have emerged as potential replacements for retiring Coralville Police Chief Barry Bedford.

According to Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth, they are:

' Coralville Police Lt. Shane Kron. Kron was hired by Coralville as a police officer in 1990 and has served as a patrol sergeant, patrol lieutenant and, since 2006, the administrative lieutenant. He has a master's degree in criminal justice from Columbia Southern Orange Beach and a bachelor's degree in public administration from Upper Iowa University.

' Marion Police Lt. Scott Elam. Elam has 20 years of law enforcement experience and has served the Marion Police Department in a variety of capacities, including police officer, member of the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, detective, sergeant and lieutenant. He obtained his masters in criminal justice from Mount Mercy this year and has a bachelor's degree in fisheries and wildlife biology from Iowa State University.

' Clive Police Chief Michael Venema. Before he was hired as the Clive Police Chief in 2012, Venema worked for the Davenport Police Department. Venema started in Davenport in 1985 as a patrol officer and later served as a sergeant and lieutenant. He has a master's degree in law enforcement from Western Illinois University and is a 2004 graduate of the FBI National Academy.

' Woodbury County Sheriff's Office Maj. Greg Stallman. Since joining the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office in 1995, Stallman worked in the jail, jail SWAT, patrol, K-9, SWAT and professional standards divisions and has been a member of the drug task force. During his career in the sheriff's office, he has also had oversight over each division and currently oversees the jail and patrol divisions. He has degrees in Spanish and criminal justice from the University of Nebraska and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy management training program.

Hayworth said last month that the Des Moines-based Moulder and Associates Police Consultants gave the city a list of 16 applicants, which was pared when the Civil Service Commission examined their qualifications and then further culled by Hayworth.

The next phase of the police chief selection process will be a Jan. 13 open house where community members will be able to meet and speak with the candidates. The following day, candidates go through an assessment center in which other law enforcement officials put them through written and verbal scenarios.

Following the events, Hayworth will make a recommendation to the City Council. Hayworth said he hopes to have a new chief in place by February; Bedford has indicated he'll leave at the end of January.

Hayworth said he will put an emphasis on community involvement when selecting the next police chief. Leadership experience, experience working with a diverse community and creativity are also priorities, he said.

Bedford is retiring after 42 years with Coralville, including the last 28 as police chief.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com