Amity Police Chief Dan Brown will retire

AMITY – Dan Brown, the Amity Police Chief for 14 ½ years and a former McMinnville Police Department lieutenant, will retire at the end of the year.

The Amity City Council met Wednesday night to discuss the future of law enforcement in the city.

There was a presentation by the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office related to providing service, and the council reviewed the chief’s job description.

The council will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, and is expected to vote on whether to contract with the county or maintain its own police department.

Brown worked 17 years for the McMinnville department. He was a finalist for the chief’s position when Rod Brown retired.

However, the job went to Wayne McFarlin, who, faced with budget cuts, informed Brown that his position would be cut with the start of the city’s 2003-04 fiscal year.

There were 25 applicants for the Amity chief’s position. The field was pared to eight finalists and Brown was the council’s choice, based in part on his vast experience. He's been a stable force for the department over the years.

Brown started with the McMinnville department  as a patrol officer in 1985. He was promoted to sergeant in 1994 and lieutenant in 1998. He served as the department's public information officer and supervised its field operations.

He began his law enforcement career as a staff sergeant in the military police arm of the U.S. Air Force. After discharge, he joined the police force in Mountain Home, Idaho, site of a major air base.

Sgt. James Clark is second-in-command in Amity which also features a six-member reserve unit. Clark is a former Amity City Councilor.

See Friday's print edition for additional details.