Cottonwood chief among finalists for Eufaula’s top cop job

Patrick Johnston
Media General News Service

EUFAULA — Seven finalists for Eufaula’s vacant police chief position discussed drug use, the area’s growing Hispanic population and other topics Wednesday in separate interviews for the position.

They interviewed with the Eufaula City Council and Mayor Jay Jaxon at a called work session. The seven candidates each answered eight to 12 questions during their 30-minute interviews.

Each candidate was asked about recruiting and retaining officers — something vitally important to the department. The department has been up to 10 officers short in recent months, resulting in 12-hour shifts for current officers and administrators.

Council members also asked the candidates other questions including:
n How they deal with stress (several mentioned hunting)

n The hardest thing they had to do as law enforcement officers (most said firing an employee)

n How they would be active in the community as chief. (At least two talked about being active in youth athletics.)

The finalists include:
n Philip Ezell: Currently serves as captain of the Eufaula Police Department, also supervisor of patrol, jail, animal control, school resource officers, school crossing guards, traffic and training.

n Al Flores: Currently serves as Senior Army Instructor for the Eufaula High School JROTC and as an instructor at Wallace Community College teaching Spanish for the workforce development department.

n LeVan Johnson: Currently serves as police chief in Autaugaville, also has worked with the Clio Police Department and the Barbour County Sheriff’s Department.

n Tim Marsh: Currently serves as captain and administrative assistant with the Eufaula Police Department.

n James L. Smith: Currently serves as police chief in Cottonwood, also adjunct faculty at Troy University and former police captain in Dothan.

n Joe Walker: Currently serves as lieutenant with the Eufaula Police Department, has been with the department since 1976.

n James C. West: Currently Deputy Chief of Investigation with the State Attorney General’s Office, retired major with the Montgomery Police Department.

The council could vote on the hire as early as Monday’s regularly scheduled council meeting, though it appears likely it may be several days after that meeting before a vote will occur. The new hire will replace longtime chief Kenneth Walker who recently retired.

Patrick Johnston is the managing editor of The Eufaula Tribune.