Carbondale cop favored for Basalt’s police chief position

BASALT – Basalt Town Manager Mike Scanlon said Friday that he will recommend to the Town Council to hire Carbondale Police Department Senior Sgt. Greg Knott as Basalt’s police chief on Tuesday.

Knott emerged from an intensive interview process as the top candidate, Scanlon said. Assuming the council accepts the recommendation, it will be conditional based on successful negotiations on salary and other terms, Scanlon said. The post pays between $89,200 and $124,500.

Knott has held various positions with the Carbondale Police Department for 19 years. He also was selected last winter as the part-time interim police chief for Basalt after the resignation of Roderick O’Connor.

“I believe Gregg has shown he could be our police chief in the interim period,” Scanlon said.

Knott was a finalist along with Terry Brown, a candidate from Aurora. They were among four candidates interviewed by a Citizens’ Advisory Panel, a panel of police chiefs and town government that included two officers in the Basalt police department. The three advisory groups advised Scanlon to go with Knott and Brown as the two finalists, according to Scanlon. He concurred. Brown and Knott were then interviewed by the Town Council on Friday afternoon.

Scanlon said he selected Knott for his recommendation in a close call.

“I had two really strong candidates. I couldn’t go wrong with either one of them,” Scanlon said.

Basalt Mayor Jacque Whitsitt said the thorough process was worth the effort. “You want to get this process right and get the best person possible selected. I think we did that, and I’m very happy with the outcome.”

Leroy Duroux, a former mayor and member of the citizens’ panel, said, “We went through a very deliberative and inclusive process, and I am very happy with the outcome.”

The Town Council is scheduled on Tuesday night to act on Scanlon’s recommendation to hire Knott. If the hiring is successful, he will continue on as the interim chief for four or five weeks and then take the full-time post in early to mid-May, Scanlon said.

In addition to serving as a senior sergeant, Knott also has been a detective, a patrol officer and an ordinance enforcement officer with the Carbondale Police Department, according to his resume.

scondon@aspentimes.com