Last October, Keith Lane left Haltom City, where he had served 15 years as police chief, public safety director and city manager, to enter the unknown in New Braunfels.
Serving as New Braunfels interim police chief would give him the leg up on the competition seeking the permanent job â which turned out to be the right move.
Lane, 56, was among 62 applicants, eight semifinalists and four finalists hoping to become the cityâs next top cop. Months before he was selected and sworn into office, he already had begun putting his stamp on city police operations.
âItâs been crazy â Iâd like to describe it like drinking water through a fire hose,â Lane said about the last few months. âBut itâs been great. This is an exceptional police department full of exceptional individuals doing a great job. Theyâve been incredibly supportive.â
The final four candidates for New Braunfelsâ next police chief took time out from interviews with city staffers to speak with those they hope to serve â regular citizens.
Mark Schauer, Keith Lane, Rich Guajardo and Troy Gay, all vying to be top cop in the city, received a warm welcome during a Tuesday evening reception at City Hall. All have final interviews Wednesday with City Manager Robert Camareno and assistant city managers.
âWe welcome all of them to our community, and itâs a wonderful community,â Camareno said to the quartet of men hoping to succeed Tom Wibert, who retired Oct. 2 after leading the New Braunfels Police Department for a decade.
Troy Gay
Mark Schauer
Troy Gay and Rich Guajardo, both from Austin, and Mark Schauer from Corpus Christi â all with more than 30 years in their current departments â join Interim Chief Keith Lane, formerly of Haltom City, near Fort Worth, as finalists for the position.
âWe were pleased to see such a strong field of diverse and qualified candidates,â City Manager Robert Camareno said of the four who made the final cut to succeed Tom Wibert, who retired Oct. 2 after 10 years leading the New Braunfels Police Department.
The cityâs national search began in November. Assisting was Keller-based Strategic Government
Resources, an executive recruitment firm that helped whittle the field from 62 applicants.Â