Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Cracks in the Foundation: An In-Depth Look at Oakland’s Failed Police Chief Recruitment

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay In the heart of California, the city of Oakland faced a critical juncture in its history as it embarked on yet another quest to find a new police chief. Because of past searches, a lot of skepticism existed in the community. However, some individuals hoped to usher in a new era of effective law enforcement leadership. However, what unfolded has been far from the envisioned transformation. Almost a year later, no end is in sight in the search for the next Oakland police chief. Mayor Thao fired Chief LeRonne Armstrong in February 2023 after an investigation revealed some alleged misconduct. Chief Armstrong disputes these findings. [1] Mayor Thao also didn’t like Chief Armstrong’s comments after he was placed on administrative leave. In fact, Chief Armstrong went as far as describing his firing as a “wrongful and retaliatory” termination. [ii] In September 2023, after an investigation into Armstrong’s termination, the hearing officer for Armstrong’s appeal found that most of the allegations against him lacked any evidence or basis in fact. Additionally, the hearing officer determined that Chief Armstrong may have a legal action based on the termination violating his First Amendment rights. [iii] The Oakland…

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2nd Choice

Navigating the Challenges of Accepting a Police Chief Appointment When You Are Not the First Choice

Taking on the role of a police chief is an enormous responsibility, one that comes with its fair share of challenges and complexities. But what happens when you step into this role amid controversy, where you were not the first recommendation of the city manager, and the city council's vote was not unanimous? In this article, we will delve into the unique difficulties and obstacles that arise when accepting such an appointment, and how police chiefs can effectively navigate them while striving to build trust, transparency, and a sense of unity within their departments and communities. I have been a student of police chief searches for many years and have participated in several myself. In most instances, the City Manager or Mayor’s recommendation is accepted by the City Council, and the vote is usually unanimous. However, that is not always the case. I recently ran across an article where the City Manager’s recommendation of a candidate for police chief was rejected by the City Council. The City Manager then brought forth his second recommendation, which was accepted by a majority of the City Council. Based on the way the article is worded, the selection of the internal candidate was not…

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top secret

Shadows in the Selection Process: The Hazards of Keeping Police Chief Applicants Secret in Louisville, Kentucky

In contrast to the release of the names of all the applicants for police chief in Fort Myers recently[i], Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has refused to release the names of any of the nineteen applicants for police chief of the Louisville Police Department. [ii] Instead, various Louisville officials argue they cannot release the names of the applicants because of privacy concerns and past decisions by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office stating that candidates not chosen deserve protection. [iii] However, is this the best decision for the community of Louisville? In May, I wrote an extensive article that listed the pluses and minuses for police chief candidates' when their names are released as part of the hiring process. You can read the full article here. This article will not focus on those same concerns. Instead, the focus will be on the community’s perspective. Transparency Expectations One of the most critical expectations of government is that it is transparent and accountable. That it doesn’t operate in secret. Citizens expect their government to be transparent. All 50 states have passed open records laws that require specific records to be available to the public. [iv] Even in Louisville, Mayor Greenberg had recently restructured their…

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