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Almost a year after former PCC police chief Don Yoder was fired from the position of director of Campus Police and Safety Services, the district is finally beginning the process to fill the position permanently.

The district hasn’t started the recruitment process yet, but on Tuesday Senior Vice President Business and College Services Robert Miller advised Terri Hampton, the executive director of human resources, that the district intends to begin the search for candidates.

“The Office of Human Resources will begin the recruitment process as soon as the required Post and Fill (internal hiring document) is received,” Hampton wrote in an email. “I anticipate receipt within the next few days.”

Steven Matchan filled the position in an “acting” capacity after Yoder was placed on paid administrative leave on June 25 of last year. In a November 17 meeting, the Board of Trustees fired Yoder “with cause” for reasons undisclosed in the interest of protecting personnel privacy. On January 22, Matchan was selected from a pool of applicants to fill the position as interim director of Campus Police and Safety Services.

According to board policies and administrative procedures a classified employee, such as the director of Campus Police and Safety Services, can fill a position in an acting capacity for six months. The Superintendent can then choose to extend the position for up to a year in an interim capacity to allow time to find a permanent replacement. In this case, Matchan was selected from a pool of applicants for the interim position and approved by the Board of Trustees in January, giving the district another year and a half to find a replacement if necessary.

“California Code of Regulations section 53021 provides that a management position may be filled on an interim basis for the minimum time necessary to allow for full and open recruitment; provided however, that no interim appointment or series of interim appointments exceeds two years in duration,” Gail Cooper, general council for PCC, wrote in an email.

Matchan said that whoever is hired to permanently fill the position will “have the support of a fine organization, employees, and support staff to assist them.” He said his time as interim director of Campus Police and Safety has been a learning experience and that he found mentorship in Miller and retired Police Chief Frank Scialdone.

“When I became a police officer, I became an officer to serve, and I never forget that,” said Matchan. “I never forgot where I had been, where I came from, or whom I serve. So no matter what position I may fill in the near future I will serve the best I can.”

The new police chief will be the fifth that PCC has had since 2011.

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