Wichita names its next police chief, a former leader in Philadelphia department

Wichita’s next police chief will be Joseph P. Sullivan, a former leader in the Philadelphia Police Department.

City Manager Robert Layton announced the decision Tuesday afternoon in a written statement. Sullivan’s start date is early December.

“Joe Sullivan has a proven ability to successfully lead and manage a world-class police department,” Layton said in the news release. “I have every confidence that he is the right person at the right time to take on the challenging task of ensuring Wichita residents have trust in the integrity and transparency of our police department.”

Sullivan beat out retired Miami-Dade Police Department veteran Mario R. Knapp. His starting salary will be $210,000.

“His experience in patrol leadership will help us as we work to enhance patrol operations. He joins us at a crucial time for the Wichita Police Department and will help guide us through a period of change. I look forward to welcoming him to Wichita,” Layton said.

The city’s news release said Sullivan’s tasks will include “enhancing the recruitment, training and mentoring of staff and focusing on data-driven policing.”

“He also plans on strengthening community policing and increasing citizen engagement with the department,” the release said.

Sullivan, 60, said he’s “all in” and can’t wait to get started.

“I’m really looking forward to coming there,” Sullivan said in a phone interview with The Eagle. “I’m really excited. . . . I really like your town, and I can’t get back fast enough.”

Sullivan replaces former Chief Gordon Ramsay, who left Wichita in March after six years to run for sheriff in his hometown in Minnesota. Two interim chiefs — Lem Moore and Troy Livingston — have served in the meantime.

After 38 years with the Philadelphia Police Department, he’ll oversee a department that has been plagued by problems and accusations of wrongdoing.

Jensen Hughes, a consultant firm hired by the City Council, is expected to lay out a road map for the department sometime next year after conducting an outside investigation into the department’s culture and relationships with city leaders.

Recent issues include racist text messages sent and received by members of the SWAT team, mishandling of internal investigations by police leadership, lost and improperly stored evidence and accusations of undue influence in officer discipline by the Fraternal Order of Police.

Sullivan said he will spend the next month and a half getting his affairs in order in Philadelphia and finding a place to live in Wichita. He said he hasn’t decided where to live, but he wants to be in the city limits.

“I won’t be an outskirts type of guy,” Sullivan said. “I definitely want people to really be able to see that I’m excited to be there, and I’m fully embracing the city the same way they’ve embraced me with this opportunity.”

This story was originally published October 18, 2022 at 4:09 PM.