November 13, 2003

Village, new chief reach agreement

The Village reached a contractual agreement last week with Carl Bush, the new chief of police, Village Manager Rob Hillard said Tuesday.

Bush, a 26-year law enforcement veteran who is currently a sergeant in the Trotwood Police Department, will officially start here on Dec. 1.

Under the terms of the contract, which Bush signed last week, the new chief will receive a $65,000 annual salary and four weeks of vacation, Hillard said. Bush’s contract is “at will,” Hillard said, meaning it will continue each year until the agreement is terminated.

Within six months of joining the force, Bush will be required to live within a 10-minute drive of Yellow Springs, Hillard said. Bush, who currently lives in Clayton, has said that he wants to live in town, but that may depend on what he finds on the market.

Hillard said that he thinks the contract is “typical.”

In a separate interview, Bush said that he is ready to join the force here. “I’m just excited to get started and can’t wait for December the 1st,” he said.

After a seven-month search process, Hillard offered the chief’s position to Bush more than two weeks ago. Bush was selected from an initial pool of 81 applicants, none of whom came from Yellow Springs. He will replace former Police Chief Jim Miller, who was placed on administrative leave on March and officially retired in September.

Bush has spent most of his career with the Trotwood police force. For the last three years, he has been responsible for accreditation, records management and investigating serious internal complaints. He also has served as a detective sergeant and was responsible for managing homicide investigations. Previously, he spent 17 years as a patrol officer and patrol sergeant in Trotwood. He is currently working on a B.S. in criminal justice administration from Park University in Parkville, Mo.

When asked what he expects from Bush, Hillard said that he initially wants the new chief to get to know the community and the Yellow Springs Police Department. In addition, Hillard said that he wants Bush to complete the department’s policy manual, which includes procedural instructions on such things as high-speed chases and the handling of domestic violence incidents, and to continue a training program on bias-based police prevention, which, Hillard said, involves protocols for traffic stops and other complaints.

Hillard said that the program “recognizes that everyone has the right to live in this country, to move about.” The department has started the program, Hillard said, noting that “the program is only as good as the training.”

—Robert Mihalek