by SEAN KIMMONS
Kyle Police Chief Michael Blake is one of six finalists to lead the Bastrop Police Department.
Bastrop officials announced earlier this month that Blake was among five other candidates up for the job to replace former Police Chief David Board, who was arrested in August on a charge of drunken driving.
“We’re in the process of doing our due diligence with our search firm,” said Bastrop City Manager Mike Talbot, who anticipates trimming the finalists down to three next week.
Interviews with the final three candidates will then take place in January, with the final announcement coming in mid-January, he said.
Since January 2008, Blake has been Kyle’s top cop who has seen his force nearly double from 18 sworn officers up to 34.5 authorized positions. At least 27 positions are currently filled.
Crime rates have sharply increased as the understaffed Kyle Police Department plays keep up with the city’s growing population, police officials said. Total arrests jumped by 80 percent this year comparing figures from the first eight months of 2009 to the same period in 2010.
Bastrop has a population of about 8,600 people while Kyle is more than three times larger with 27,200 people, according to 2009 figures from the Texas State demographer.
“It is premature for me to discuss this matter until the police chief candidacy is focused on solely one candidate,” Blake said Monday. “I’m very hopeful but we’ll see where it goes.”
He submitted an application to Bastrop officials in October when there was doubt in Kyle’s direction after both its city manager and finance director resigned, he said.
“With the departure of Tom Mattis, and the long search process for a new city manager, there has been a natural sense of concern and uncertainty among the city workforce,” he said.
In mid-November, Kyle City Council selected Lanny Lambert to become its new city manager, with his tenure to begin in January.
Blake said that he was interviewed by Talbot a few weeks ago, and could be interviewed again if he is named in the top three. He has also spoken to Lambert and says he’s optimistic if he remains as the police chief of Kyle.
“Should my discussions proceed further in Bastrop, I will be having dialogue with Mr. Talbot as well as Mr. Lambert when he assumes his new position in Kyle, to ensure that whatever decision is reached will be very thoughtfully considered and appropriate,” he said.
Blake, who has more than 35 years of experience as a police officer, has also been the police chief of the cities of Harlingen and Tomball.
Kyle officials acknowledged that if Blake chose to leave, the city would be out an experienced officer.
“Chief Blake has done an outstanding job for the city of Kyle and we feel we would be losing a valuable member of our team if he should leave,” said Kyle spokesperson Jerry Hendrix. “However, like any employee, he certainly has the right to explore any and all opportunities that might help to advance his career interests in the direction he would like to take them and we will support him in whatever direction he feels he needs to take.”
