City may bring back former chief as interim

Punzel was chief from mid 1960s through mid 1990s

By Jim Hart

The Sandy Post, Nov 3, 2009, Updated Nov 3, 2009 (2 Reader comments)

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Leaders of the city of Sandy are considering whether they want to re-hire Fred Punzel to serve as police chief from the time Chief Harold Skelton leaves until a new chief is hired.

Skelton is retiring from the police department, effective at the end of November, and a new chief is not expected to be on the job until March 2010.

Punzel, who served as Sandy police chief from the mid-’60s to the mid-’90s, was recommended for the interim position by City Manager Scott Lazenby.

But Lazenby did not ask the council for a decision Monday night. Instead, he invited Punzel to attend the council meeting to answer councilors’ questions.

As an alternative, should any councilor have reservations about hiring Punzel, Lazenby suggested hiring a senior officer from the city of Gresham, the city of West Linn or the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Department.

Lazenby called Punzel a “known quantity,” and said it’s an advantage for Punzel to have worked with the people who are key in managing the department, but not be well known to the majority of the officers – who were hired since his retirement.

“I think (Punzel) is a trusted figure,” Lazenby said, “and that’s why I am comfortable with him working with staff and making recommendations and observations and giving advice that will help me as well as the (hired) chief.”

Mayor Linda Malone prefers the idea of an interim chief who isn’t currently connected with the department.

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