NORFOLK, Va. - The search is on for the next top cop in Norfolk.
In April, City Manager Dr. Chip Filer announced the search following the announcement of former Norfolk Police Chief Larry Boone’s retirement. Boone now serves as WTKR's Law Enforcement Analyst.
On April 6, Boone told Filer his plan to retire. His retirement went into effect on May 1.
Since Boone left office, former Norfolk Police Chief Mike Goldsmith has been serving as interim police chief.
Almost four months after Boone's retirement went into effect, on August 25, the city announced they chose Morris & McDaniel Management Consultants out of Alexandria, VA to help them with the search for a new chief.
“Together, we will identify the best individual to build upon the success and provide leadership for this department into the future," Filer said at a news conference in April.
About five months after that announcement, the News 3 team of investigators is diving deeper into the search process and how Norfolk residents can be part of the search for the new chief.
With the search firm in place, News 3 asked Filer what the search process has been like, expectations, and the plan for Norfolk residents to get involved.
Overall, he said the city recognizes the importance of this decision.
“We do believe that this is an attractive position,” Filer told News 3.
Filer said the process started in late April when the city made the choice to go with a search firm.
“The benefit to using the search firm is they do searches for all kinds of cities, and they know candidates that didn’t ultimately get the job and were qualified,” Filer said.
After a multi-month process, including three companies applying for the search firm bid, the city ended up hiring Morris & McDaniel, a personnel management firm for public safety.
“They’ve been doing this work for around 45 years. They primarily work in the areas of promotion inside public safety,” Filer said. “I think it gives us a distinct advantage right out of the gate of identifying some potential folks that might be good fits.”
We asked Filer what makes the job attractive, and if recent crime and department vacancies would impact the search.
“It’s, in many ways, a big city department,” Filer said. “We’re a very diverse department. We’re diverse in age, gender, and race. We’re diverse in the mission and portfolios that we have. “
“I think what I’m looking for is for someone who comes in, recognizes the reality of the situation that we’re in, perhaps bring some wonderful experience from whatever jurisdiction they were in ways they tried to combat that, and that ultimately moves us forward.”
News 3 also asked about expectations for the candidate pool, including whether experience or geographical ties come into play.
“The last two police chiefs have both been internal hires and were pretty obvious to move up to the chief’s position,” Filer said. “We’ve had those conversations about someone internal just sort of stepping up, and that could still happen.”
“I think by getting a search firm and doing a full, open search, we’re opening the candidate pool,” Filer said. “We’re committed to doing a national search, and may the best man or woman win.”
Morris & McDaniel will hold town halls and public meetings with residents, city leaders, and police officers to get feedback on what they'd like to see in the next chief.
“We purposely have not opened the application process until we get all of that feedback so that we can build an appropriate and accurate position description,” Filer said.
Filer told News 3 that community input will be vital.
“I think that’s just where we are with public safety,” he said. “You can’t talk about community policing, and being committed to community policing, if you don’t have communities involved when you do searches like this.”
News 3 talked with people in Norfolk about what they’d like to see in the new chief.
For Shaquiera Wray, who often visits Downtown Norfolk, she said focusing on steering children away from crime is crucial.
“Inserting more programs to keep them active in other things,” Wray said.
For Daniella Ferrari, it's making sure police continue having a presence, especially downtown.
“Those new security cameras around that were recently enforced, seeing things like that assures me and makes me feel safer by just walking around,” she said.
News 3 also talked about the search with Connor Burke, who comes to Downtown Norfolk twice a week for classes at Tidewater Community College.
News 3 asked him if the recent violent weekend in the city has led to a heightened urgency regarding the search for the police chief.
“I feel like people get more nervous with those shootings around,” Burke said. “Everyone’s like I don’t think that’ll ever happen to me. I definitely feel like people will definitely want a police chief in here soon.”
Tuesday, News 3 Investigates also asked the city about the same sense of urgency Burke mentioned.
A source with the City of Norfolk told News 3 that the search was already an urgent issue based on past incidents. But, Filer mentioned there are steps involved in doing the search process correctly. The source went on to add they’re not sure these steps could or should be rushed, even after the incidents this past weekend, but Filer wants to get the hire right.
“I need a Chief of Police that can effectively and efficiently run the police department,” Filer told News 3. “Community involvement and community empowerment must be part of a successful police chief’s portfolio now. But, they also have to be able to effectively run a department, motivate the personnel within that department, maintain high levels of morale and really give honest and accurate feedback for what the crime landscape looks like in our city.”
Filer also said city officials are still working on exact timing and logistics regarding the public town halls, however, he said the dates of the town halls will be announced in the next two to three weeks. The events are expected to be held in late September or early October.
As for when a new police chief will be announced, Filer said his goal is to have an announcement by the end of November or early December.
