CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Carthage City Council named a new police chief and a new parks and recreation director Tuesday.
Assistant Chief Chad Dininger will take over as police chief at the end of 2025.
According to the city, he is a native of Carthage and graduate of Carthage High School.
He has 29 years of law enforcement experience, starting his career at the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office. He has 20 years with the Joplin Police Department and eight years with the Carthage Police Department, including serving as assistant chief since July 2022.
“Capt. Dininger has demonstrated a strong commitment to integrity and a community-oriented approach to policing, making him an ideal leader for the city of Carthage,” the city said in a written release.
Chief Bill Hawkins will continue serving as chief until his retirement later this year.
Mayor Bren Flanigan said the police chief appointment comes after a selection process led by a hiring committee that unanimously chose Dininger after reviewing 30 applications from across the nation.
Richard Bonine, of Prineville, Oklahoma, will take over as parks and recreation director, replacing Abi Almandinger, who was fired after a public hearing in August.
Flanigan said Bonine was the unanimous choice of a hiring committee out of more than 50 applicants from across the country.
He will take over Oct. 6.
Flanigan said Bonine has 15 years of experience in parks and recreation management and has led departments in Oregon, Washington and Oklahoma.
He has also owned and operated businesses in event management and hospitality. Bonine holds a bachelor’s in communications from Oklahoma State University.