Mayor Tim Keller said the city has signed a contract with a California police executive search firm called Public Sector Search and Consulting Inc to find a new police chief. The firm will be paid up to $100,000 after the departure of former police chief Harold Medina. Cecily Barker was named interim chief.Paul Gessing is the president of a taxpayer watchdog group called the Rio Grande Foundation.”The current interim chief has probably the inside track here. Maybe more than the inside track,” Gessing said. Gessing is questioning the cost and the integrity of the search. Many of the city’s former police chiefs have been hired from within.”Are we really doing a nationwide search for a new police chief? If the idea is to promote from within, and we think we already have the person we want, don’t spend $100,000 on a nationwide search for a new police chief,” Gessing said.The city says applications have already started to come in. We asked for an interview with Mayor Keller, but the city responded, saying the mayor has previously spoken about the search.The mayor released a statement saying in part:”We have an opportunity to choose a police chief who will rise to meet today’s challenges.”Keller said before the election that he was going to replace Medina if he was re-elected.”Chiefs usually last two to three years, so I know he has his own retirement plans,” Keller said. The city will schedule a series of meetings for the community to tell officials what they want to see in the next police chief. The mayor will pick the finalist and city council will vote to approve or reject the candidate.The mayor has until Feb. 16 to pick a finalist, according to City Council President Klarissa Pena.
Mayor Tim Keller said the city has signed a contract with a California police executive search firm called Public Sector Search and Consulting Inc to find a new police chief.
The firm will be paid up to $100,000 after the departure of former police chief Harold Medina. Cecily Barker was named interim chief.
Paul Gessing is the president of a taxpayer watchdog group called the Rio Grande Foundation.
“The current interim chief has probably the inside track here. Maybe more than the inside track,” Gessing said.
Gessing is questioning the cost and the integrity of the search. Many of the city’s former police chiefs have been hired from within.
“Are we really doing a nationwide search for a new police chief? If the idea is to promote from within, and we think we already have the person we want, don’t spend $100,000 on a nationwide search for a new police chief,” Gessing said.
The city says applications have already started to come in. We asked for an interview with Mayor Keller, but the city responded, saying the mayor has previously spoken about the search.
The mayor released a statement saying in part:
“We have an opportunity to choose a police chief who will rise to meet today’s challenges.”
Keller said before the election that he was going to replace Medina if he was re-elected.
“Chiefs usually last two to three years, so I know he has his own retirement plans,” Keller said.
The city will schedule a series of meetings for the community to tell officials what they want to see in the next police chief. The mayor will pick the finalist and city council will vote to approve or reject the candidate.
The mayor has until Feb. 16 to pick a finalist, according to City Council President Klarissa Pena.
