By Mara H. Gottfried
Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The St. Paul city council formally set in motion on Wednesday the process to hire a new police chief and people can weigh in on baseline qualifications for the job next week.
Todd Axtell announced in October he would not seek a second six-year term as police chief and said he planned to stay through June 23, the day he was sworn into office six years earlier.
St. Paul’s human resources spelled out a timeline to the city council last month that would have a new police chief on board in August, but a majority of council members said they don’t want to have an interim chief.
“While we’re securing our search firm, we must be engaging our community in terms of what are we looking for” in a police chief, City Council President Amy Brendmoen said at Wednesday’s council meeting. "... I firmly believe that we can and should be done with this process by June.”
Mayor Melvin Carter supports the timeline that the human resources department explained in February.
“Few decisions are of greater consequence than selecting a chief of police,” Carter said. “We will allow the time necessary to engage our community, to perform our due diligence, and to select the most fitting candidate to lead our department through the next six years.”
[RELATED: State your case: Should the public have a say in selecting a police chief?]
But Brendmoen said with public safety challenges facing communities, 55 new officers graduating from the St. Paul police academy last week and the hiring of a director for the city’s new Office of Neighborhood Safety, she wants to have a direct leadership transition between Axtell and the next chief.
The mayor’s office, meanwhile, says the police department has deputy chiefs, commanders and officers who can continue leading the department as the chief selection process proceeds.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL BE ON SELECTION COMMITTEE
An ordinance introduced by the city council Wednesday to establish minimum qualifications for police chief includes having a bachelor’s degree, with a master’s degree preferred; advanced police training; four years of administrative-level experience as a chief, assistant chief, deputy chief or equivalent rank of St. Paul police commander in an organization of at least 500 officers.
During the public hearing at next Wednesday’s 3:30 p.m. city council meeting, people can participate by phone, email or in person.
There will be deeper discussions with community members about what questions will be asked of candidates in interviews and what they’re looking for in the next police chief, Brendmoen said.
The city council will be announcing information about how people can apply to serve on a selection and qualifications committee for the police chief. The committee recommends five finalists to Carter. Carter will interview them and make his choice for police chief.
(c)2022 the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.)