You have an opportunity on Saturday morning to provide input in what qualities you’d like to see in Columbia’s next police chief.
The city hopes to announce its new police chief this fall and has hired Public Sector Search and Consulting to manage the search process. The California-based company’s website describes itself as a “premier, boutique-style, national search firm focused solely on recruiting top police executives for our clients.”
CPD outgoing chief Geoff Jones will retire on August 1. Current Columbia Police assistant chief Matt Stephens will be interim chief, effective July 31. That selection was announced this morning.
Public Sector Search and Consulting will be hosting a community forum tomorrow morning from 10 until 11:30 at the ARC on West Ash. Everyone in the community is invited to attend.
Meantime, Columbia city manager De’Carlon Seewood says the process of finding the next police chief will be about engagement.
“We’re going to talk to community members. And not one segment of the community but all community members. We want all voices to say here’s what we need in order to have for our next chief,” Seewood says.
The hiring decision for the next chief is the city manager’s decision.
“We’re also going to talk to our police officers, we’re going to talk to the police union. We’re going to talk to the city police leadership team. We’re going to ask their opinions on what do we need in a chief,” Seewood says.
Mr. Seewood tells 939 the Eagle that he wants to find the best person who fits the community.