Ruiz Appointed Kimball Police Chief

In a special meeting on Wednesday, May 24, the Kimball City Council unanimously approved the mayor’s appointment of Jose Ruiz as police chief.

According to the Mayor John Morrison, Ruiz is in the process of purchasing a house and will be moving to Kimball in the near future.

Morrison said, “I had an interview process, had two very good candidates. When it came down to it, based on the recommendation from the selection committee. My interview, I felt that Jose was the candidate that I wanted.”

After Ruiz was approved, the council had to approve the employment agreement. Morrison said it was basically the same agreement that the city had with former Police Chief Andy Bremer with two major exceptions, wages and insurance. Ruiz and the mayor agreed upon a salary of $88,000 a year and family insurance.

After a brief discussion among the City Council members about salaries, retention and finding other officers, Don Muench said, “This is the first process of cleaning up this town and getting the drugs out of this town and making it a safe place for us. This is a very good move on our behalf.”

Muench continued, “I heard nothing but good things about Jose, and I think we are on the right track and doing a wonderful job in our leadership and the mayor also.”

Ruiz will start June 1.

On the morning of May 24, before the special meeting, Morrison confirmed to the Observer that Interim Police Chief Dwain Murdoch had resigned.