ROYAL CITY — Rey Rodriguez was hired as the chief of the Royal City Police Department, Mayor Kent Anderson announced at the March 2 Royal City City Council meeting.

Rodriguez will replace Darin Smith, who retired in late January. Rodriguez was the acting chief since October 2019.

Anderson said two people applied for the job, Rodriguez and an officer from Tennessee he did not identify.

Both were interviewed by the city’s civil service commission, Anderson said. The city’s civil service procedures stipulate up to three candidates can be recommended to the mayor, who makes the final choice.

Anderson said both were good candidates, each with strong points and weak points.

Rodriguez said in a Friday interview he was “definitely honored and humbled” by the selection. He wants to build on the work done by Smith, and “just kind of grow from here,” he said.

Rodriguez started his law enforcement career in 2008 as a reserve deputy with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, he said. He was hired as a provisional officer in Royal City in 2009, and hired full time in 2010.

Currently, the department has two officers, Rodriguez said. A third officer is scheduled to graduate from the police academy in late March.

During the March 2 council meeting, Anderson said he received an inquiry from the Royal School District on the possibility of hiring a school resource officer. A school resource officer is a police officer who works most of the time on a school campus, but is employed by a law enforcement agency.

Anderson said he planned to meet with district superintendent Roger Trail to discuss the options available. Anderson said he would report back to the council on the outcome of those discussions.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].