Troy Police Department down to only McLeod

The Troy Police Department is down to new chief Bob McLeod as its only officer, mayor Don Banning confirmed Wednesday night following the first meeting of the new city council.

Nick Whiteman earlier this month was hired under a little-used law that allows the mayor to employ temporary officers for up to 30 days while circumventing standard hiring procedures. But when a more thorough background check was completed on Whiteman, various misdemeanor charges surfaced, including an assault conviction in 1997 in Idaho that resulted in six months probation.

“We released him aftter the followup background check,” Banning said. “There was too much of a liability there.”

Last week, Banning and McLeod announced intentions of hiring John Thrasher to fill another vacancy in the police department. The Montana Public Officers Standards and Training Council was contacted by McLeod to confirm that there were no open investigations on him.

Thrasher last year was fired as Troy’s resident deputy by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office following an open microphone broadcast that sounded sexual in nature. The firing occurred when he repeatedly lied to Sheriff Daryl Anderson about the incident.

But on Wednesday night, Banning said that Thrasher has not yet been hired and only invited to town for an interview.

Last week, the Troy Police Commission reviewed 20 applications and submitted a list of names to Banning.

“They already reviewed them and sent them back to me,” Banning said. “Bob and I will be going through them to get it down to a workable number.”

Banning expects to determine a final list of three candidates within the next week.

“They will be notified to come up to Troy and be interviewed and examined” physically and mentally, Banning said during the city council meeting.

The police commission did not play a role in early discussions of Whiteman and Thrasher. The commission is made up of chairman Kelly Palmer, vice chairman Ron Rebo and secretary Ed Hanson.

In the meantime, McLeod is covering the Troy beat on his own.