51붚죕 expects to name new police chief by end of the year

ST. LOUIS �� The city�셲 second search for a police chief has attracted at least 35 applicants, and officials hope to name a new chief by the end of the year, said John Moten, interim personnel director for 51붚죕.

Leaders within the department on Thursday said they were surprised at the number of applicants, as well as what they perceived to be a longer timeline than most officers anticipated.

�쏧�셫 actually shocked that that many people applied for this position, when in fact this department is facing such severe manpower issues that anybody who is applying for this position has such major obstacles and tasks at hand �� and on top of that, the pay and compensation is in need of some adjustment, clearly,�� said Sgt. Mickey Owens, president of the 51붚죕 Police Leadership Organization, which represents the interests of the supervisors and commanders of the 51붚죕 Metropolitan Police Department.

Sgt. Donnell Walters, president of the Ethical Society of Police, said he estimated around 85% of the organization�셲 members expected the entire process would be done by the end of September or beginning of October.

�쏻e did not see it being extended out to the end of the year,�� he said.

The top police position has been filled by an interim chief since former Chief John Hayden retired June 18. The city�셲 search for a new chief has lasted almost a year since Hayden announced his intention to retire in September 2021. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones said in January the search needed to �쓘tart over,�� citing the need for a more open process.

Jones told the Post-Dispatch at the time she was dissatisfied with having just two internal finalists for the job and emphasized the need for a nationwide search and more diversity in the candidate pool. She also called for more transparency in the search and selection process.

That hasn�셳 happened, according to Owens. He said Jones�� administration has been tight-lipped about the progress of the search and police officers know little to nothing about what the process involves or where the search stands currently.

�쏧 think the rank-and-file members of the department have lost confidence in both the mayor and department of personnel when it comes to being fair and transparent with this process,�� Owens told the Post-Dispatch.

Moten said both internal and external candidates make up the 35 candidates for chief this time around, but Walters and Owens are wary of external candidates given the violent crime rate in the city and personnel issues within the police department.

The two also expressed expectations that the next police chief will not be white, given the mayor�셲 past comments on a lack of diversity in the first search.

During that search, in late November, former personnel director Richard Frank sent rejection letters to most of about 30 applicants for the job in the initial search and gave a written test to Lt. Col. Lawrence O�셏oole and Lt. Col. Michael Sack, according to police and city sources.

Both are white men with long careers in leadership with the department.

Sack currently serves as the department�셲 interim chief.

O�셏oole in May settled a discrimination lawsuit against the city, related to the previous appointment of a chief. The settlement states O�셏oole will retire at the end of the week, thereby withdrawing his application to become chief. He will receive just under $162,000 from the city, which included back pay for what he would have made as chief and $25,000 in attorney�셲 fees.

Owens said he believes one of those men should have been offered the job.

This time round, the department is working with an outside firm, The Boulware Group, to evaluate applications. Interim Public Safety Director Dan Isom said in late May the Center for Policing Equity, an organization dedicated to police reform, will be an unpaid partner in the search as well.