Here are the community members who will help hire Wichita’s next police chief
A group of community members will have a large say in who will take over Wichita’s embattled police department.
The group, made up of well-known names, will help in the national search process being done by a California-based company, will interview candidates vetted by that organization and give recommendations to City Manager Robert Layton for a final decision.
Profiles of members of the police chief search review committee can be found at wichita.gov/WPDChiefSearch. The members are:
- Michael Birzer, professor at Wichita State University
- Shannon Bohm, president at Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey Architects
- Larry Burks Sr., president at Wichita NAACP
- Monique Garcia, incoming public and community initiatives manager for WSU’s Public Policy and Management Center
- Jeff Geoffrey, president of the Wichita Metro Crime Commission
- C. Richard Kirkendoll, pastor at Bethany Missionary Baptist Church
- Faith Martin, senior project manager at Workforce Alliance
- Ariel Rodriguez, executive director at Empower
- Harvey Sorensen, partner at Foulston Siefkin LLP
- Alicia Thompson, superintendent, Wichita Public Schools
Roosevelt “Buck” DeShazer Sr., pastor at Progressive Missionary Baptist Church
The group will work with Public Sector Search & Consulting Inc. to create a Wichita Police Department “Chief of Police Position Profile” before the job is posted by the company, the city said in a news release. The City Council approved a $58,000 contract in March with PSSC, which exclusively recruits police chiefs for cities.
The search process will include a “robust engagement with internal and external stakeholders throughout,” the city said, including community stakeholders, Wichita police officers, the police union and city leadership. There will also be a community survey and a public forum for people to hear from finalists.
Ramsay resigned from the top spot on March 1 after six years as the chief. He is running for sheriff in St. Louis County in Minnesota. Shortly after he left, The Eagle reported that the department mishandled an investigation of and punishment for officers who sent racist and inappropriate messages.
The department has been widely criticized for the handing of the messages.
A committee report found that Ramsay and two deputy chiefs, Chester Pinkston and Jose Salcido, were responsible for the light punishments. Details about the messages can be found here.
The committee report also recommended that interim chief Lemuel Moore look into any possible additional punishments for the officers and the deputy chiefs. Moore has finished his review of the case and has forwarded it to the law department, a police spokesperson said. A news release will be sent out once the process is complete.
Despite the turmoil since taking over, Moore, a 30-plus-year department veteran, has expressed an interest in being the next chief.