COQUILLE — The city of Coquille has offered its top policing job to an Arizona man.

City Manager Terence O’Connor announced Monday that Coquille made a conditional offer to Deputy Commander Mark Dannels of the Cochice County Sheriff’s Office in southeastern Arizona.

Dannels accepted the offer and — if he passes a physical exam, a background check, and a psychological exam — he will be in town by Aug. 18. He then will wait to be certified by the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to officially start in the position. The certification will require two weeks training in Oregon law.

Despite the hurdles before he officially starts patrolling the streets, Dannels is anxious to fill his new role and move to a new place.

“I really like it,” Dannels said. “It’s like living in a national forest.”

After 25 years in Arizona, moving to a wetter, cooler climate will be an adjustment, but having grown up in the Midwest, trees and rain aren’t completely unfamiliar to Dannels.

“For me, it’s like going home,” he said.

Former police Chief Michael Reaves, who served with the department since 1996, retired July 31. Sgt. Patrick Smith, who also was among the job’s candidates, is overseeing the department in the  interim.

Coquille Mayor Steve Britton said the choice was tough between the two most qualified candidates, but Dannels was the top choice because he was willing to dive in and get to know the community.

Britton said Dannels brought his family with him for his assessment and interview in July. He stayed in a local motel and took time to explore the area.

“He really had every intention of getting this job and it showed,” Britton said.

Britton also was impressed when Dannels said he would spend a good portion of his days in the field alongside his officers.

“That’s important to have a working chief for a small city,” he said.

After meeting five of the officers in his soon-to-be department, Dannels said he was impressed with their sincerity, professionalism and willingness to learn.

City Councilor Linda Short said she was pleased with the selection process, which consisted of two days and two different types of tests aimed at finding the best of the five applicants the city deemed most qualified.

The city, with the help of police chiefs from around the state, first assessed the five potential chiefs on their ability to respond to situations they may encounter as police chief. They followed testing with a meet-and-greet with the community on July 21. The next day, a panel of city, county, school district officials and citizens interviewed the candidates.

The panelists for the first and second rounds narrowed the field to the same two candidates, Short said.

“I was very impressed,” she said. “I felt it went really well.”

O’Connor said Dannels will be moving his wife and two children, one in high school and one in middle school to Coquille this month, just in time for school enrollment.

“It looks like it will be exciting time for the Dannels family,” O’Connor said. “Hopefully the city of Coquille will extend a hand of friendship to him and his family.”