Magnolia City Council held a special session April 2 to confirm the appointment of new police chief Terry Enloe. Enloe will replace interim Police Chief Charles Wedemeyer May 1. "I think he's a good hire," Magnolia Mayor Todd Kana said. "I think he's [someone] the [officers] will respect, which is important in a situation like this. He is willing to work side by side with the worker bees and the paper pushers. I think he will be a good fit for the department." Prior to joining MPD, Enloe served 33 years with the Harris County sheriff's department. Enloe began his career as a deputy in 1975 and worked in the roles of master patrolman, shift coordinator, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and major until his retirement in 2008. As third-ranking official with the sheriff's department, Enloe said he was responsible for overseeing 726 employees and a $48.7 million budget. Enloe, who holds psychology and law enforcement bachelor's degrees, has worked part-time with Harris County in crisis counseling and intensive outpatient programs since 2008. He said he also offers free classes to train combat veterans and first responders in law enforcement techniques. Kana said city officials relied heavily on Wedemeyer's experience to screen qualified applicants for the position after former police chief Domingo Ibarra submitted a letter of resignation Nov. 18. Since Nov. 25, Wedemeyer has served as interim police chief through Texas First Group at an hourly contracted rate. Texas First Group helps place experienced individuals in interim municipal positions across the state. Enloe was selected from a group of about five candidates who met the law enforcement experience and educational background requirements. The city is often faced with budget constraints when looking to attract new talent for positions but was able to hire Enloe because he is interested in giving back to the community, Kana said. "Having started from the bottom floor and worked his way up, I think he's a police officer's police chief," Kana said. "He hasn't forgotten what the rookie patrolman is going through and still has the ability to use [his] experience to benefit the entire department. I believe he's what we consider and are hoping for as a hands-on police chief." Over the next few weeks, Enloe said he plans to meet with Wedemeyer to become familiarized with MPD. Enloe lives in the Fields Store area near FM 1488 just outside of Magnolia and often commutes into the city. "I'll talk to [Wedemeyer] to see what's going on, what the concerns are, see what's happening with the personnel and the concerns with citizens so I can keep up with the community," Enloe said. Enloe said he plans to increase accountability within the department and improve positive police efforts in Magnolia. With continued growth on the horizon, Enloe said he wants to help the city proactively plan for a surge in population throughout the coming years. "If you want somebody to sit behind a desk, you don't want me [as police chief]," Enloe said. "I lead [from the] front. I don't lead sitting behind a desk eight to 10 hours a day. I'm really excited to get back on the streets again. That's just who I am."