The search for a new Greensboro police chief is now down to two candidates.
Police Chief Wayne Scott announced on August 9 that he would be retiring on Jan. 31, 2020. Scott has been chief since March 2015 and a Greensboro police officer since 1991.
Once Scott announced his retirement, the process started to complete a national search for Greensboro’s next police chief. As part of that process, 15 community forums and focus group meetings were held to acquire input on what the people of Greensboro felt was important to consider in hiring the new chief.
The city hired Developmental Associates to assist in the process.
The notices that went out about the position took into consideration the input from the community. The result was 39 applicants for the job that, according to Assistant City Manager Trey Davis, is “par for the course” for this type of position. Davis said that when the city went through a similar process before hiring Scott there were 44 applicants.
Based on the profile that was developed from information gathered at the community meetings, the original 39 were pared down to 15 by Developmental Associates. Those 15 were interviewed by Development Associates and completed an online survey.
The information from that process was used to pare the 15 down to six who were brought into an assessment center during the first week in December for personnel interviews by professionals and members of the community as well as staff from the city manager’s office.
Davis said this was a two-day process with different types of interviews including role playing to see how the applicants would respond to different situations.
Davis said that after the six were ranked based performance measures that they had reduced the six to two candidates and he said that discussions were ongoing on exactly what the next step would be. He said that they would like to introduce the finalists to the community but that could not be done without the permission of the candidates.
He said, “Early in January we will definitely be ready to move forward.”
Let us hope the new chief does not “cower” to the city council. Let us hope the city council allows the new chief to run their department without interference. We the citizens require something positive in this city leadership. Murder rate continues to climb, city council shells out our taxpayers money ($500,000) to a program that has not even started. Citizens lives are being loss due to city council and police leadership failing to address the needs of the community. Council is worried of being politically correct instead of doing what is required to resolve the problems. How many lives have to be lost before action is taken. Where are the community leaders? What are they doing to help?
Anyone else tired of the senseless loss of lives in our communities?
Mr. Hammer, any updates yet? Also….
“Davis said that after the six were ranked based performance measures that they had reduced the six to two candidates and he said that discussions were ongoing on exactly what the next step would be.”
So how much are we taxpayers paying Developmental Associates to hire a chief, when they do not even have the final steps of the process planned out?
I have a feeling that they will go with the internal candidate. While I’m sure he will be great, why are we spending all this money just to pick the person we all knew would get the job all along?