U of I police captain chosen as new CL police chief

[caption id="attachment_11323" align="alignleft" width="270"] Newly appointed Police Chief Pete Roth and his wife, Lisa, rode in the department’s classic patrol car in the July 4th parade.[/caption]

University of Iowa Police Captain Pete Roth has been named as the next Clear Lake chief of police.  Formal appointment of the City’s new top cop took place at the Monday, July 6, City Council meeting.

City Administrator Scott Flory said Thursday the 45-year-old married father of two has agreed to a tentative offer of employment with the City, subject to Council approval.  He noted that the selection of Captain Roth follows a four-month-long recruitment process that he further described as “extensive.”

“Both Mayor Nelson P. Crabb and I were really comfortable at the end of that lengthy analysis that Mr. Roth was the right candidate for the City of Clear Lake,” stated Flory.

Roth was one of three finalists to be interviewed in closed session by the Clear Lake City Council during the past week.

“I thought it was critical to make sure we did all we could to find the best fit for the community and the department and that shouldn’t be rushed,” Crabb said.

Flory said the City was honored to have three highly qualified finalists to fully vet to ensure someone of high integrity would be selected.

  “He and his spouse, Lisa, are fully-committed to the community and the department and Pete understands the unique dynamics of our City,” said Crabb.  “He’s going to be a great chief of police.”

At the University of Iowa, Roth oversees 22 sworn police officers, four lieutenants and two sergeants in the University’s uniformed patrol division. He has been with the Iowa City college’s public safety division since 2008, previously serving 10 years with the Clive Police Department. He has a Bachelors degree from the University of Iowa and a Masters in Public Administration from Drake University. He began his career in law enforcement in Johnson County, Kansas and the City of Mission, Kan.

The Clear Lake City Council approved Roth’s hiring at Monday night’s meeting and he is scheduled to begin work in Clear Lake on Aug. 3.  He will be sworn in at the Aug. 3 regular Council meeting.

The future Chief of the CLPD was in town on Friday to spend the day with the department and took part in the Fourth of July parade and other events during the holiday weekend.

The City has been without a permanent Chief of Police since former Chief Greg Peterson retired in April of 2014. Interim Chief of Police Rex McChesney passed away Dec. 26, 2014, after a courageous battle with cancer.