Meet Spirit Lake's new (and old) police chief

SPIRIT LAKE — After a four-month search to find Spirit Lake's police chief to replace Keith Hutcheson, the next chief will be … Keith Hutcheson.

The city had not found the right fit since Hutcheson resigned in August to work as a contracted K-9 handler at entry control points in Iraq. Hutcheson recently returned home for medical reasons and needed a job, so he was re-hired.

"He asked me what I was up to and I said that I was looking for a chief," said Mayor Todd Clary, who recently had lunch with Hutcheson. "I asked him what he was up to and he told me that he was looking for a job.

"We are really happy to have him back. He may be the best chief Spirit Lake has ever had, so I seized the opportunity. He was really involved in the community, has common sense and brought a level of professionalism that we've never had before."

Hutcheson's first day back at his former job will be Feb. 8. He will receive a $4 per-hour pay raise from when he was with the city before and will make $26 per hour.

Clary said 12 people applied for the position.

"We had some good applicants, but we just couldn't reach terms," he said, adding the city had just re-advertised the position.

Hutcheson returned home a few weeks ago due to having kidney stones.

"There's no way to fix them over there (in Iraq)," he said.

After he returned, he said he also had a change of heart about working in Iraq.

"Things have gotten a lot crazier over there now (due to ISIS)," said Hutcheson, who worked at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq as a bomb detection dog handler in 2013. "Life is a lot harsher over there — crazy hard. I lost 30 pounds. The man upstairs was watching over me."

Hutcheson said he returned with a friend he met in Iraq — a black Lab and explosive detection dog named Shade. The dog had put in his time in Iraq, checking about 3,000 cars per week.

Hutcheson's term as a Kootenai County Fire and Rescue commissioner ended on Dec. 31. He was the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's police chief from 2005 to 2011 and worked for the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office from 1997 to 2005. He also worked for the Benewah County Sheriff's Office and as a firefighter in the Washington, D.C., area.

Hutcheson ran for Kootenai County sheriff in 2012, but was defeated by Ben Wolfinger. He had two unsuccessful bids for Post Falls City Council and formerly served on the Post Falls Parks and Recreation Commission.

Hutcheson said he is "very honored and blessed" to return as Spirit Lake's police chief.

"Spirit Lake is a great community to live in," he said.