Toledo's ex-chief closer to new job

Oregon mayor says Navarre has the support to lead city's police

Mike Navarre retired Oct. 21 after serving as Toledo's police chief for 13 years. Oregon's police chief retired in January.

Former Toledo police Chief Mike Navarre could be appointed chief of the Oregon city police department as early as next week.

Mr. Navarre is expected to meet with Oregon City Council members Monday. Mayor Michael Seferian said that if Mr. Navarre has sufficient support among council, he could be appointed Oregon's next police chief that night.

"I believe I have the support," Mayor Seferian said. "We'll see how that plays out."

Mr. Navarre, who retired Oct. 21 after 13 years as Toledo police chief, said he was interested in the job. The position became open when Oregon police Chief Richard Stager retired in January.

"Oregon will have many challenges; some will be similar but most of which will be different challenges because Oregon is a completely different entity than the city of Toledo," Mr. Navarre said Tuesday. "I think this would be a great opportunity and a great challenge."

The council meeting is set for 7 p.m. at the city council chambers.

The mayor said Mr. Navarre also will speak with council members and those in the police department's collective bargaining units individually before the meeting to address any concerns they might have about hiring Mr. Navarre.

Some members of the FOP Command Officers Union spoke out against hiring Mr. Navarre during an Oct. 24 city council meeting, which was the first time city officials publicly talked about the candidates for the police-chief job.

The union members' concerns ranged from why acting Chief Paul Magdich -- who took over after Mr. Stager retired -- was not being promoted to how Mr. Navarre might run the Oregon Police Department, to the fact that he is receiving a pension.

Others said they were upset that the top law-enforcement position was not publicly advertised.

But Mayor Seferian has defended the hiring process, saying he talked with members of the police department about whom they wanted to hire or whether any of them wanted to apply for the position.

In the end, he said he believed Mr. Navarre could bring a "fresh perspective" to the department and would work well with Assistant Chief Magdich, who has been on the Oregon police force 25 years.

Mr. Navarre's proposed salary had not been set, but he probably would be paid slightly more than $82,889, which is the assistant chief's current salary, the mayor said.

Contact Gabrielle Russon at: grusson@theblade.com or 419-724-6026.