SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake City Council convened on Aug. 6, during a regular meeting and hired a new police chief, resulting in a 6-1 vote in favor of hiring long-term Ephrata Police Officer Patrick Canady.  

Canady, who brings 26 years of law enforcement experience, will assume the role with an annual salary of $165,000. The decision will be formalized Monday at City Hall when Canady is scheduled to be sworn in.  

Canady's hiring came after the council discussed several concerns, specifically around his administrative experience, budget experience and the set salary.  

“He does not have the experience,” Councilmember Andrew Arnold said. “He butts heads with co-workers. He butts heads with supervisors. He is aggressive. I think this is a bad fit for Soap Lake.” 

Arnold said he went out and did research. He said he talked with people Canady has worked with.  

While Canady was not present at the meeting to discuss his new role, Acting Chief Robert Gaetes, who has worked with him, praised his qualifications and his mentorship.  

"I think he would be a great person to hire,” said Gaetes. “I don’t have any issues with him, and I hope for our department, it works out as a possible candidate.” 

Salary  

The first concern raised by the council was the wage, which is set at $165,000. His predecessor, Ryan Cox, made about $117,000 annually at the time of his departure from the chief's position.  

“Is the money going to be worth it?” asked Councilmember Susan Carson. “That is a huge chunk of change for a small town.”  

City Attorney Julie Norton said that is what the position was advertised as. 

The salary was posted at $145,000 to $185,000, according to Mayor Peter Sharp.  

“By state law, you have to include the salary threshold,” Norton said. “It has been known and out there that the city was going to offer a certain salary band and this is consistent with that salary band.”  

According to Salary.com, the median salary for a police chief in Washington is about $143,000. The $165,000 figure places Canady's salary close to the 90th percentile of the top-paid police chiefs statewide. 

Sharp, who supported Canady’s hiring, defended the appointment and the salary, explaining that the amount was consistent with what the city had budgeted for this position. He also explained that Canady will not be eligible for paid overtime. Previously, Sharp said, Cox had been paid for overtime, sometimes reaching a work week of 80 hours.  

“This is within our budget, the budget was approved for our police department, and those are the funds that are allocated through (Finance Director Jeff Valentine),” Sharp said.  

Experience 

Arnold then asked about Canady's experience in budget management and administration.  

“Twenty-six years of experience – he is not a detective; he is not a sergeant. He is a police officer. Let that sit in,” Arnold said. “He is still just a police officer.”  

However, Norton chimed in, saying Canady had gone through background checks and oral boards before the meeting.  

“He has also been through, as a part of the law enforcement process, through the oral boards; he was certified as the highest score during the oral board process conducted by other police chiefs and sheriffs,” Norton said. “That is how law enforcement testing happens.”  

Then, councilmember Danielle Taylor said she also did her own research on Canady.  

“I went and spoke with several community members. I spoke with non-criminals and I spoke with criminals,” Taylor said. “The non-criminals love Canady. I have not heard one person that says anything negative.” 

Taylor said she worked with him around 20 years ago.  

“He was very arrogant. He was very power hungry. He was very authoritative and controlling. Twenty years ago, I was a lot different person as well,” Taylor said. “So, I don’t know how Canady is now, but the consensus out on the streets is he is not nearly as aggressive and authoritative as what he used to be.”  

Predecessor  

The council meeting also unearthed concerns about the ongoing civil service dispute involving former chief Ryan Cox, who was terminated after an internal investigation. Cox has appealed his termination, which is now going through the Civil Service Commission.  

“If Chief Cox wins his appeal, does that mean that he retains the position as police chief of Soap Lake?” asked councilmember John Carlson. 

Norton said that it is too early in the process to know the answer. She said it depends on what Cox decides to prevail on.  

“The Civil Service Commission will decide whether there was cause for the termination; that is what has been appealed,” Norton said. “The Civil Service Commission's remedies are: approve, disapprove or modify the discipline. But that is not even the separate lawsuit that could be brought later. It doesn’t necessarily mean he comes back as the chief; it just depends. There is a possibility."