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Mayor Troy Childers Sr. can give a long list of reasons as to why he wants to appoint 36-year-old Scott Mettille as Chillicothe’s police chief.
“Because he’s young, so he could be with us for a long time,” said Childers.
“He’s a family man and lives close to Chillicothe.
“He’s been a deputy chief in Peoria Heights behind a chief that has trained him very, very well.”
His reasons continued with Mettille’s membership in police agency groups.
“He’s really a nice guy,” said Childers.
Though he cited many reasons for wanting to appoint Mettille, the applicants did not make the choice easy.
“It was a hard decision,” said Childers.
The mayor said he reviewed five applicants, had interviews with four of them and then narrowed the field to three. He also had the employee relations committee interview the candidates, noting that he wanted their input in his appointment.
Additionally, the employee relations committee meets again late this afternoon in closed session so both aldermen and the Police & Fire Commission can meet with the mayor’s choice for police chief.
“He is definitely my pick and I plan on asking the council’s approval of my appointment at the first meeting in February,” said Childers.
Aldermen will vote at the Feb. 13 Chillicothe City Council meeting to concur with the mayoral appointment.
The Chillicothe Police Department, now boasting nine officers, has been without a police chief since late August.
Former police chief Steve Maurer was arrested for driving under the influence and resigned the position he held for almost three decades.
Sgts. Rich Mark and Dan Adcock both have served as interim chiefs throughout the vacancy.
About the future chief
Mettille was born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa, and received his bachelor’s degree in 1997 in criminal justice from St. Ambrose University.
He first worked for a boot camp for juvenile delinquents in Davenport and other jobs until he was hired as a police officer in Windsor Heights, Iowa, while his wife, Susan, was finishing her clinicals.
His family had moved to other parts of the country and with a son on the way, they decided to move to the central Illinois area to be closer to his wife’s family.
She is a native Chillicothean and a St. Edward Catholic School and Peoria Notre Dame graduate.
With Peoria Heights testing for policemen, he hired on with the department in 2001 and moved up the ranks to his current position as deputy chief.
Mayor Troy Childers Sr. can give a long list of reasons as to why he wants to appoint 36-year-old Scott Mettille as Chillicothe’s police chief.
“Because he’s young, so he could be with us for a long time,” said Childers.
“He’s a family man and lives close to Chillicothe.
“He’s been a deputy chief in Peoria Heights behind a chief that has trained him very, very well.”
His reasons continued with Mettille’s membership in police agency groups.
“He’s really a nice guy,” said Childers.
Though he cited many reasons for wanting to appoint Mettille, the applicants did not make the choice easy.
“It was a hard decision,” said Childers.
The mayor said he reviewed five applicants, had interviews with four of them and then narrowed the field to three. He also had the employee relations committee interview the candidates, noting that he wanted their input in his appointment.
Additionally, the employee relations committee meets again late this afternoon in closed session so both aldermen and the Police & Fire Commission can meet with the mayor’s choice for police chief.
“He is definitely my pick and I plan on asking the council’s approval of my appointment at the first meeting in February,” said Childers.
Aldermen will vote at the Feb. 13 Chillicothe City Council meeting to concur with the mayoral appointment.
The Chillicothe Police Department, now boasting nine officers, has been without a police chief since late August.
Former police chief Steve Maurer was arrested for driving under the influence and resigned the position he held for almost three decades.
Sgts. Rich Mark and Dan Adcock both have served as interim chiefs throughout the vacancy.
About the future chief
Mettille was born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa, and received his bachelor’s degree in 1997 in criminal justice from St. Ambrose University.
He first worked for a boot camp for juvenile delinquents in Davenport and other jobs until he was hired as a police officer in Windsor Heights, Iowa, while his wife, Susan, was finishing her clinicals.
His family had moved to other parts of the country and with a son on the way, they decided to move to the central Illinois area to be closer to his wife’s family.
She is a native Chillicothean and a St. Edward Catholic School and Peoria Notre Dame graduate.
With Peoria Heights testing for policemen, he hired on with the department in 2001 and moved up the ranks to his current position as deputy chief.
There used to be a residency requirement in Peoria Heights, he said, but once it was lifted, the family moved to Chillicothe, where they resided for the last seven to eight years.
After being flooded three times while living along the riverfront, the Mettilles built a home in Rome and have lived there ever since.
Mettille said his reasons for wanting the chief’s position is twofold.
“We have set our roots in Chillicothe. I absolutely love the area ... (And I wanted) to have a chance to be a part of the community.”
His children, Hunter, 11, and Hope, 8, attend St. Edward Catholic School.
Career advancement also is a reason for Mettille’s decision.
“Now I get a chance to use the skills I’ve acquired.”
The Peoria Heights Police Department is similar in size to Chillicothe with 12 officers and chiefs.
He added that his No. 1 goal is community involvement. One of the first things Mettille said he would like to do is begin a neighborhood watch team and begin building relationships.
He said he wanted the police department to be seen in a “positive light” and wants the department to be more than the group that arrests people or writes tickets.
Chillicotheans should know, he said, that he is a private person, but he is ready to “wear the hat” of the police chief.
“I’m very approachable. I want the Chillicothe Police Department to be out there, be seen and be proud of.”
He is a sports enthusiast with a love of all sports and all the Iowa teams.
He plays golf with his son and coached his baseball and basketball teams. He works out regularly at Pearce Community Center as well.
