KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KCMO Board of Police Commissioners President Bishop Mark Tolbert says he wants to find the right police chief and that process could take up to a year.
Tolbert told a crowd Monday night at a meeting of the South Kansas City Alliance he wants to make sure the board finds the right person for the job.
That person will step into a job that's been surrounded by controversy for several years.
Former KCPD Chief of Police Chief Rick Smith came under fire from critics for alleged racism in the department's ranks, his handling of the protests following the death of George Floyd and officers accused of crimes against the citizens they are hired to protect.
That included the conviction of former KCPD detective Eric Devalkenaere, who shot and killed Cameron Lamb as Lamb sat in his pickup truck in the back of his east Kansas City house.
Smith retired from the department on April 22 after serving five years as chief.
Interim Chief Joe Mabin will not be a candidate for the chief's job.
Groups around the city hosted listening session where people said what they wanted in the next chief.
The police board will hear reports at its May 24 meeting from groups that hosted those events.
Tolbert said the board, with four members chosen by the governor of Missouri and a spot for the city's mayor, will pick a national firm to conduct the search for a new chief.
The plan is to get down to the top three candidates and hold community events so people can question the candidates about their vision for the police department.
Tolbert said he wants to be sure the search firm throws a board net.
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