Finding a replacement for recently departed Camp Verde Marshal’s Office Cmdr. Jacquelyn MacConnell may be a challenge, but CVMO Marshal Nancy Gardner feels confident in finding the right officer.
“It can be difficult, because obviously salary is going to come into it a little bit,” Gardner said, adding that the salary schedule for the position starts at $75,000 annually. “But I’ve had really good luck and been able to attract qualified candidates in the past.”
Gardner, who celebrates her fifth anniversary with the CVMO next month, said that the demands of the position — described by Gardner as “my right-hand person” — require a candidate with a bachelor’s degree, strong leadership skills and a comprehensive knowledge in “virtually all areas of police work.”
Though willing to consider recently retired officers, Gardner added that the position is not for someone far removed from police work.
“You have to have experience and knowledge managing other sergeants,” Gardner said. “It’s busy until the end of the day, and that’s a good thing …. [But] you can’t just come in and sit in a chair.”
The benefits of working with the Town of Camp Verde are obvious to Gardner, however. In particular, she praised Town Manager Russ Martin and Mayor Charlie German.
“They’re a great group of people to work for and they’ve made my job easy,” Gardner said, adding that recent efforts to communicate better with the community and its municipal representatives have been successful.
“We’ve really been working very hard to make a relationship with citizens, but more than anything other city employees. It’s really a partnership.”
According to Gardner, the posting for the position of CVMO Commander will go live at the end of February, beginning with in-state applicants.
