Wise to reopen search for new Wichita police chief

Wichita has been without a permanent police chief for more than a year, which is frustrating. But City Manager Robert Layton was prudent to reopen the search.

Speed is secondary to the necessity of finding the right person for the Police Department, community and moment.

Layton announced his move Monday, explaining that Allentown, Pa., Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald had turned down Wichita out of a stronger commitment to Fort Worth, where he’s also a finalist. That’s just as well. Though Fitzgerald was an impressive candidate, Wichita deserves better than a chief who would rather be elsewhere, or who might spend a brief tenure shopping for his next job.

Layton also said he’d decided against hiring the remaining finalist, USD 259 executive director of safety services Terri Moses, because her skill set and her 32 years with the Wichita Police Department don’t align with the city’s current needs.

Moses’ experience and knowledge of the community and department qualified her fully for the post. But her resume also ties her to the problems that are straining some Wichitans’ trust in police, including recent cases in which residents were shot by officers, allegations of racial profiling, and questions about ethics and credibility issues within the department. Her rocky performance under pressure in an Aug. 31 forum didn’t reassure many who anticipated she’d be resistant to change.

“During the past few weeks it has become clear that we have a need for someone who brings a new and different perspective to this position,” Layton said Monday.

To his credit, Layton not only solicits community input but heeds it.

The city manager set a good goal Monday of allowing the time in the reopened search, which again will involve consultants from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, for more panel and community meetings. He also remains committed to implementing on-body cameras across the police force by the end of the year under interim Police Chief Nelson Mosley.

Nearly 13 months after 14-year Police Chief Norman Williams retired, and in the wake of the local community meetings responding to the violence in Ferguson, Mo., both Wichita and its city manager have a much better idea of what the city needs in a new chief. The day-to-day administrative duties matter, but a police chief also must be skilled at managing crises, promoting good relations across diverse populations, and communicating with the public.

Layton is wise to renew his search, and focus on somebody with leadership experience and skill but also a fresh outlook on policing and the community. The right choice will justify the wait.

For the editorial board, Rhonda Holman

This story was originally published September 21, 2015 at 7:07 PM with the headline "Wise to reopen search for new Wichita police chief."