A familiar face will soon be rejoining the Knox City Police Department. The board of works voted unanimously last week to hire Dave Combs for the open patrolman position.
He had previously served on the city’s police force for about 11 years and, for the past few years, served as the Medaryville town marshal. Mayor Dennis Estok noted that Combs lives in Knox and knows the streets, and called him “one heck of a detective.”
When it comes to his Public Employee Retirement Fund benefits, Combs will receive the civilian plan. That option was made available in an amendment to the 2020 and 2021 salary ordinances by the city council last week. Estok told council members that it offers more flexibility. “So when we hired, it was always under the 77 fund,” Estok explained, “and, basically, with that pension, you had some restrictions, as far as the age goes. It used to be no older than 36. They did raise it to 40 here this year. So you’re always under a little bit of constraints.”
Council members also corrected an error in this year’s salary ordinance, that apparently had four officers’ salaries listed $450 below their actual pay levels.
