QUINCY — Ryan Green has been named the interim chief for the Quincy Police Department. Quincy City Council members approved Green’s appointment on a 6-0 vote at a regular meeting Tuesday.

Green will replace Kieth Siebert, who announced his retirement from law enforcement last week. Siebert has accepted a job in the emergency management department at the Grant County Public Utility District.

Green said he has been with QPD for seven years, all as a captain.

“I started (in law enforcement) in 2001,” he said, with the Ephrata Police Department.

He worked for the Grant County Sheriff’s Office for 12 years before joining the QPD. Siebert became QPD chief in 2017 and that, Green said, made the Quincy job more attractive.

“I admired Chief Siebert,” he said, who he had worked with at the GCSO. Siebert encouraged him to apply.

According to QPD, Siebert is retiring from law enforcement after 29 years in the profession. A retirement celebration is scheduled for Feb. 15 from 1-4 p.m.

Green said he wants to build on the work already done at the QPD.

“I think it’s important that we continue to build trust and legitimacy in the community,” he said.

Part of that is working with other city officials to solve problems as they arise, and part of that is making sure officers have what they need to do their jobs effectively, he said. Both residents and city officials have the goal of improving Quincy as it grows.

“The only way to do that is by working together,” Green said.

All law enforcement are faced with the challenge of recruiting and retaining staff, he said, and one way to attract and keep good employees is to make sure they have the continuing education, training and equipment to do their jobs properly. It’s a stressful job, and law enforcement agencies need to ensure their officers are receiving services to help them cope with that stress, he said.

QPD was accredited by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs four years ago, and will be going through the accreditation process again this year, Green said. The department also is working on updating its body cameras.

“We’re always looking at how we can do better,” he said.

Quincy City Administrator Pat Haley said city officials are planning to talk with Green about his goals and possible plans for the department before making any decisions about hiring a new chief.

Green will get some time to work on his plans, he said, then Quincy officials will decide whether they will hire from within the department, or start an external application process.

“Ryan is in a position to share with us what he wants to accomplish,” Haley said.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached at education@columbiabasinherald.com.