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Letter to the editor

Police chief steps down for health reasons

kenneth city Jim Ernst retires at the end of the month. Kevin Matson will fill in for now.

By ANNE LINDBERG, Times Staff Writer
Published September 19, 2007

Jim Ernst, who has served Kenneth City as police chief for nine years, is retiring at the end of this month. Ernst, who is 60 and has pancreatic cancer, said his health forced his decision.

"My tumor remains inoperable and a change in the treatment schedule is going to be required," Ernst wrote in his resignation letter. "It is the opinion of my oncologist that I will be unable to return to any substantial work due to the limitations of my condition and the medications which I am taking."

Although Ernst's retirement is effective Sept. 30, he has already left the state for treatment.

Kevin Matson, 44, who has substituted off and on for Ernst for the past 10 months, will be acting chief at least until January.

Matson has worked for Kenneth City since January 1989. He earns about $56,100 a year.

In January, he said, Kenneth City officials will look outside for a permanent chief.

Matson said he has no desire to be chief. Too many politics are involved, he said.

Matson said he understands that Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats has offered to take over policing in Kenneth City. But Matson said he does not think that will happen.

"This town has always liked its police department," he said.

The perfect person for the job, he said, is someone who has retired from another department and wants to keep working.

That described Ernst, who had 30 years in policing and retired as a deputy chief before moving to Florida.

[Last modified September 18, 2007, 23:21:46]