MOSES LAKE — A couple of torches were passed Tuesday, as Moses Lake swore in a new city manager and police chief.

Former Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin Fuhr took the oath of office as the new city manager and former Moses Lake Police Department Capt. Dave Sands was sworn in as the new chief. The council had approved both appointments at its Oct. 12 meeting.

Fuhr’s swearing-in was first, administered by Mayor Don Myers. Fuhr stood solemnly as he recited the oath.

“You can’t back out now,” Myers said when Fuhr had finished.

Fuhr, a 31-year veteran of law enforcement, came to Moses Lake in 2016 from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office to serve as MLPD chief. He assumed the role of interim city manager following City Manager John Williams’ resignation amid scandal and filled that role until January 2020. He returned to the position of interim manager in May when former City Manager Alison Williams resigned. During that time he has retained the position of police chief, although Sands has been filling in for him as interim chief. Fuhr has also been president of the Moses Lake School Board since December 2021.

    Kristin Sands, right, pins the chief’s badge on her husband, newly-sworn Moses Lake Police Chief Dave Sands at Tuesday’s Moses Lake City Council meeting.
  

Later in the meeting, Fuhr was able to pay the honor forward when he administered the oath of office to Sands.

“I asked him if he wanted me to type the bio up or if he wanted to do it. He did it with a caveat that I get to do a little modification to it,” Fuhr said. 

“It was perfect,” Sands said. “It would have brought tears to many eyes.”

“Over 31 years ago Dave came to the MLPD from the prestigious Washington State University, also known as the Harvard of the West, after his junior year because he was tired of his parents paying for everything,” Fuhr began. He went on to detail Sands’ rise through the ranks at the MLPD, and mentioned that Sands had graduated from the FBI National Academy. He bridled slightly when he came to Sands’ assertion that Fuhr had learned a great deal from him, but read on anyway.

“Dave is an amazing person,” Fuhr concluded. “He wouldn't be standing before you if I didn't think so. Even though he has learned more from me than I have learned from him. I'm going to tell him to raise his right hand. Yeah, yeah, we're doing this, baby.”

When Sands had finished his oath, the council chamber erupted into a standing ovation as Sands’ wife Kristen Sands came forward and pinned on his new badge.

“Now, I'm not giving him the mic,” Fuhr said when the applause had died. “Because you see what he writes, so I'm not gonna let him talk.”

Joel Martin may be reached via email at [email protected].