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Three potential candidates have expressed interest in the police chief position, according to Twisp Mayor Hans Smith. Though none have yet formally applied, Smith has enough confidence to impose an application deadline of Jan. 9 or 16, he told MVE on Tuesday.
Smith said he actively recruited two of the potential candidates and one reached out on their own. At the town council meeting last week, he expressed confidence that Twisp would have a new police chief in 2026, and achieving this goal rests on the town budget.
Town Council Raises Maximum Salary for Police Chief
The town council approved last week raising the maximum annual salary for a police chief to $128,960. Following a collective bargaining agreement, the chief’s two deputy officers have a 3% salary increase over 2025.
“I’m excited for what that means for the police department in being able to increase the chief’s salary offering and hopefully be successful in reconstituting the police department this year. I’m feeling pretty optimistic about that right now.” Smith said during the town council meeting last week.
The overall Twisp police budget for 2026 more than doubled- from $278,136 in 2025 to $568,949 in 2026. In addition to budgeting for the police chief and two deputies, the budget also factors Twisp’s contract with the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office, which has provided police services to Twisp during this leadership vacuum. The contract stipulates $8,000 in base funding per month (new for 2026) plus $650 per call response, an increase from $580 per call response in 2025.
Smith expressed optimism that Twisp would be moving away from its contract with the sheriff’s office in 2026 and said he received assurances from Sheriff Paul Budrow and the county commissioners that the contract could be amended or replaced if Twisp hired its own police chief. Smith said they would still need to contract with the sheriff’s office during times the police chief was off duty.
“We would be able to afford carrying this contract throughout the year if we have to, if we’re not successful in hiring staff, but my hope is that we’ll be moving away from relying on this contract pretty quickly in 2026,” said Smith.
Mayor Feels ‘Very Good’ About Candidates
The hiring decision for the police chief is solely the mayor’s. The mayor can hire and fire the police chief without the town council’s approval. Once the town receives applications for the position, the town’s new civil service commission will provide recommendations on the candidates.
Smith said he would also seek input from the public service committee, but it is not a requirement. Candidates would have to undergo state mandated background checks, a polygraph test and psychological evaluations. He expressed confidence that the hiring process would go smoothly.
“From what I’ve seen, I feel very good about it,” said Smith.
Twisp hasn’t had a police chief in over two of the last three years since long time chief Budrow was elected Sheriff of Okanogan County. Jay King, a native Alabamian, served five months of his probationary period before Smith dismissed him in February for undisclosed reasons. Former Winthrop Marshal Doug Johnson then served as interim police chief before he resigned June 2 to focus on retirement.
Smith said he would make the candidates’ names public closer to February, should they apply. He said none of the candidates have expressed an interest in the two deputy positions. If two candidates do express interest, only one deputy would be hired with the chief and the other at a later date in order to remain within budget. Smith said he expects the $8,000 monthly base fee to the county to decrease significantly if that happens, allowing for deputy hires.
Smith said he is seeking lateral officers, which are officers with previous experience, to fill the deputy positions.
“We may try to attract new recruits, but my preference and priority is lateral,” he said.
Former Interim Chief Johnson told MVE earlier this year that prior experience matters, particularly in small towns.
““It is difficult to train hires here in the very beginning of their careers. There are two ways you learn to be a police officer: going to calls and working with competent police officers. We don’t have an adequate amount of calls for police officers to train on. On the west side, an officer will have more calls in three months than in Twisp in a year.”
