CHARLESTON WELCOMES CITY'S NEW POLICE CHIEF

CHARLESTON -- Dozens of area law enforcement agency members gathered at Charleston City Hall on Monday to celebrate the appointment of Charleston's new police chief, Richard Couch.

Couch, a former Sikeston DPS officer, and Scott County Sheriff's deputy, was hired to head Charleston's Department of Public Safety, replacing former chief, Mike Seibert. Seibert resigned to accept a job that would allow him to be nearer his parents.

Applicants from California to Vermont competed for the job, said city manager David Brewer, who said he was looking for a chief who could get along with the community and the officers currently in the department, as well as be able to deal with the drug problem.

"I think we did well," Brewer said of his choice, adding that finding someone who was familiar with the local situation was important. Couch is slated to be a long-term asset to the community, someone who will stay with the Charleston DPS until retirement, Brewer said.

A Sikeston resident and graduate of Scott County R-5 High School, Couch served four years with the Air Force before being honorably discharged.

He was a captain-division commander for the Sikeston DPS, holding numerous positions in the department from November 1971 to November 1985. He was commended by the Sikeston Chamber of Commerce as Police Officer of the Year in 1994 and 1974.

"We're excited to have him. Everybody we contacted as a reference couldn't say enough nice things about him. We even had others not listed as references call in on his behalf," said Brewer.

"I sincerely appreciate the opportunity you have bestowed upon me today," said Couch. "I would not have considered this positions without the support of my friends and colleagues from the law enforcement agencies and judicial systems that are represented here today. I accepted this position for one simple reason: I enjoy working in the public safety field with those that are professional, take pride in their accomplishments and strive for excellence in all that they do."

Couch assured Charleston residents that he and the DPS would be concerned with sensitive issues such as cultural diversity. He promised to build a strong link between the DPS and the community.

"Community involvement, I believe, is the backbone to any professional public safety department," said Couch.

Proclaiming the Charleston DPS a "team," Couch called upon the community to join the department in combating crime and improving the quality of life in Charleston, and promised professionalism in the DPS "through determination, hard work, honesty and integrity."