The City of Wichita has launched a national search for a new Wichita Police Department (WPD) Chief of Police. The City is utilizing Public Sector Search & Consulting (PSSC), a national executive search firm focused exclusively on police executive searches to oversee the process.

PSSC CEO Gary Peterson is a retired Chief of Police from the City of Martinez in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the firm has led recent national police chief searches for Dallas, TX, Raleigh, NC, San Jose, CA, Nashville, TN, Albuquerque, NM, Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Kansas City, MO.

“Our team works to bring new leadership to police departments across the country, instilling community-minded values, innovation and reforms,” said Gary Peterson, CEO of Public Sector Search & Consulting. “We are honored to be partnering with Wichita at this critical time and will be engaging stakeholders and the Wichita community to inform the process and guide our search for the right Chief of Police to lead the Wichita Police Department into the future.”

A review committee made up of diverse community members has also been convened to ensure representation throughout the search process, aid City staff with front-end processes, interview candidates vetted by PSSC, and recommend candidates to the City Manager for final consideration.

The WPD Police Chief Search Review Committee:

-Dr. Michael Birzer, Wichita State University

-Shannon Bohm, President, Schaefer Johnson Cox Frey Architects

-Larry Burks, Sr., President, Wichita NAACP

-Roosevelt “Buck” DeShazer, Sr., Pastor, Progressive Missionary Baptist Church

-Monique Garcia, Community Partner

-Jeff Geoffrey, Wichita Metro Crime Commission

-Dr. C. Richard Kirkendoll, Reverend Bethany Missionary Baptist Church

-Faith Martin, Senior Project Manager, Workforce Alliance

-Ariel Rodriguez, Executive Director, Empower

-Harvey Sorensen, Partner, Foulston Siefkin LLP

-Dr. Alicia Thompson, Superintendent, Wichita Public Schools

The search process will feature robust engagement with internal and external stakeholders throughout, including focus groups made up of community stakeholders, WPD, the Fraternal Order of Police and executive City leadership, ongoing open dialogue on Forum, the City’s public engagement platform, and a community survey. PSSC will collect, collate and review the stakeholder feedback to support the creation and development of a WPD Chief of Police Position Profile, which may also be used to better inform the selection process.

Once the WPD Chief of Police Position Profile is final, PSSC will post an official job listing and begin recruitment efforts. The review committee will review applicants and recommend semifinalist candidates for interview. After interviews are completed, the review committee will advise the City Manager on final candidates for consideration, further interviews and final approval.

The search process is anticipated to be complete by fall 2022. For more information please visit: https://www.wichita.gov/WPDChiefSearch/