In what has become Twisp’s favorite pastime, Mayor Hans Smith has once again booted a police chief before they even had time to hang their badge on the office wall. This time, the lucky recipient of Twisp’s infamous ejector seat is none other than Jay King. Hired a mere five months ago; he was let go due to some mysterious “recent concerns.” But let’s be real. Who didn’t see this coming? Oh, that’s right. The same town board that hired him in the first place.

Let’s take a little stroll down memory lane. When King was appointed, Mayor Smith assured the public that the hiring process was thorough. King’s “colorful” past was entirely explainable. Those no-confidence votes from the Prosser police union? Just a misunderstanding. The accusations of bullying and fostering a toxic work environment? Overblown. The four lawsuits from former officers in Unalaska, Alaska that resulted in a $760,000 settlement? Mere technicalities. Nothing to see here, folks.

Fast forward five months. Suddenly, the concerns aren’t so “explainable” anymore. Twisp is scrambling to replace yet another police chief. And who better to step in than former Marshal Doug Johnson? That’s right. The town decided to bring in a retired lawman who packed up and left for Spokane after serving as Winthrop’s Marshal from 2018 to 2023. Apparently, retirement wasn’t all that exciting for Johnson, or maybe, just maybe, the town needed a familiar face who would help smooth things over while they sweep yet another disaster under the rug.

Why is Johnson really back? Is this a temporary fix, or did Twisp dig deep into the archives and decide that reusing old leadership was the best way to keep things quiet? Johnson was a known entity, someone the town board could trust to not ask too many questions. A safe bet. A perfect pawn. And let’s not forget, hiring him conveniently avoids the pesky little issue of conducting an actual transparent hiring process. Why bother with that when you can just recycle leadership like it’s an old town tradition?

The real question isn’t who will be the next unlucky soul to don the Twisp Police Chief badge. It’s how much this latest fiasco is going to cost taxpayers. Are we talking tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Or will Twisp finally break the million-dollar barrier in lawsuit settlements?

And while we’re at it, what lawsuits aren’t we hearing about? If King lasted just five months before “concerns” became unmanageable, something tells us there’s more to this story than we’re being told. Is there a payout brewing behind closed doors? Is Twisp gearing up for another legal firestorm?

If they lied about King’s eligibility for the job, what else are they hiding? How many more costly blunders are being swept under the rug? If the town board was willing to look past documented lawsuits and allegations just to get King in the door, what other reckless decisions have they made? Citizens deserve to know the full scope of the damage before they get another tax bill that includes a surprise “Former Chief Lawsuit Settlement Fee.”

Maybe it’s time for the town to rethink its hiring strategies. Perhaps a game show format? “Who Wants to Be Twisp’s Next Police Chief?” Contestants will be subjected to grueling challenges, such as “Dodge the Lawsuit,” “Find the Red Flags That Somehow the Hiring Board Missed,” and “Last Longer Than a Cup of Coffee on the Job.”

Until then, enjoy the spectacle, Twisp. The revolving door keeps spinning. The bill keeps growing.