A law enforcement veteran is on the agenda to be appointed as the new Great Bend Chief of Police at the City Council Monday night. The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Great Bend Events Center, 3111 10th St., and the meeting will be open to the public.

Steven Haulmark was the overwhelming choice of two interview panels, City Administrator Kendal Francis said. Haulmark has 25 years of law enforcement experience and currently serves as the assistant police chief for the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department. 

“Immediately following Police Chief David Bailey’s retirement announcement in September, the city began a nationwide search for a new chief,” Francis said. “We received 21 applications.”

Following an initial review of resumes, eight candidates were selected to move forward in the process. Those candidates were asked to respond in writing to a six-question questionnaire designed to evaluate both the candidate’s knowledge and philosophies on broad, but critical topics as well as critiquing their ability to write and communicate effectively and concisely.

From those responses, six candidates were invited for in-person interviews, Francis said. The in-person interviews were conducted by two separate panels – one consisting of a diverse cross-section of community members and the other of city council members and department heads. 

Bailey is retiring after 45 years of service to the city. His last day is Dec. 18. 

Bailey was appointed to the position by the city council in December 2017 following the resignation of previous chief Clifton Couch. Prior to his appointment to the position, Bailey had been employed as a lieutenant in the GBPD, and had been with the department for almost 40 years.

As for Haulmark, he started at the KCPD as a patrolman in 1996. He worked his way up to sergeant, captain and commander before being named assistant chief in March 2019.