All from within department; hiring goal is May 5
Nine Tucson Police Department employees have applied to be the next police chief, Assistant City Manager Richard Miranda said.
The deadline for applications in the most recent round of recruiting was Wednesday.
The chief’s position has been open only to candidates from within the department since a national search was aborted a month ago by the City Council.
Former City Manager Mike Hein sent a news release the next day explaining that the city would reopen the search to internal candidates because of the excellent reputation of the department.
At that time, the short list included TPD Assistant Chief John Leavitt and Capt. Brett Klein, as well as two out-of-town applicants.
The City Council discussed relaxing a recently instituted rule that requires department heads to live within city limits.
None of TPD’s top brass lives in Tucson, according to media reports, and the police union president, Officer Larry Lopez, said it’s likely the applications will mirror those submitted in the last round.
The council, however, voted to keep the residency rule in place, pointing to the importance of “live, work and play,” as well as using city services, in the jurisdiction the official serves.
Miranda, who created the opening when he retired last year to become assistant city manager, said Thursday that interviews for the new applicants are tentatively scheduled for the last week in April.
He hopes to have a chief selected at the May 5 City Council meeting.
The current police chief, Kermit Miller, is slated to retire at the end of May under a retirement-incentive program.
———
THE APPLICANTS
Asst. Chief John Leavitt
Asst. Chief Roberto Villaseñor
Capt. Brett Klein
Capt. David Neri
Capt. Clayton Kidd
Capt. Robert Shoun
Capt. Bill Richards
Capt. Perry Tarrant
Capt. George Rodriguez
Source: City Human Resources Department