TRINITY — There’s gonna be a new chief in town, as city leaders officially hired a police chief at a special City Council meeting on Monday.
Steven Jeter will take the reins of the struggling department around Feb. 1. He currently is the chief investigator with the Madison County District Attorney’s Office in Madisonville.
Jeter said it will be an honor to serve, and he always has had a fondness for the Trinity area.
Jeter is a former Texas Ranger and retired from the Department of Public Safety after 21 years. Since then, he has worked in Madisonville. His salary will be $85,000 and will rise to $100,000 after three years.
“I plan to evaluate the department and find out where we’re at and where we’re going,” Jeter said. “I will look at all of the services we offer, and will meet with the community to find out their needs.”
He also will need to refill the ranks of the six-man department, which right now has only two working officers.
In the meeting, Mayor Billy Goodin said that it has been a long process for the hire, as former chief Daniel Kee resigned in October, and during the search he developed deep concerns about the position, particularly the salary requirements and the impact on the city budget.
However, he and City Manager Tracy Hutto researched other departments and what pay was being offered, and were “surprised” that in Texas, many other cities were paying police chiefs around $30,000 more than county sheriffs were paid, which is around $70,000 per year.
However, with the Trinity Police Department being in the shape it is, Goodin said Jeter’s experience and pay would help fix the problem.
Council Member Bubba Smith voted against hire, stating that he feels the city is putting itself in “a predicament” by the level of pay.
Council Member Scott Womack said council members have heard that the city didn’t need a former Ranger as chief, and that the city didn’t care about the police department, but still called the hire a good decision.
Sheriff Woody Wallace and District Attorney Bennie Schiro praised Jeter, saying he has been exemplary in their dealings with him.
“You will get what you pay for,” Schiro said.
