The City of Minneapolis is moving forward with its national search for the next Minneapolis Chief of Police, with the City’s executive search firm beginning its initial review of candidates while applications continue to be accepted.
The search has already attracted more than a dozen applicants, including a mix of internal and external candidates. The City’s executive search firm is reviewing and vetting applicants based on the qualifications, experience and leadership characteristics identified through the search process. The most qualified candidates will advance to interviews.
The City launched the national search earlier this summer to identify a leader who can continue efforts to reduce crime, support and grow the Minneapolis Police Department workforce, strengthen community trust, advance critical reforms and lead the department into its next chapter. The process includes input from community members, City leaders, MPD employees and other public safety stakeholders.
“We’ve spent the past couple of months listening to residents, officers, public safety leaders and other stakeholders about what they want and need from the next chief,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “As the search moves forward, we’re carefully evaluating candidates and working to identify a leader who can continue moving Minneapolis forward.”
Next steps in the search
Following the initial review and vetting by the executive search firm, the most qualified candidates will advance to interviews. The interview process is designed to bring multiple perspectives into the selection process.
The interview panels will include community leaders, law enforcement and public safety professionals, labor representatives and city leaders. The search process moves from candidate evaluation and screening to interviews, final interviews and selection.
Candidates advancing to the final stage will interview with Mayor Frey, Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette and other City leaders before a preferred candidate is selected.
Community and Public Safety leaders to participate in interviews
The city has assembled two interview panels that bring a range of community, law enforcement and public safety perspectives to the candidate evaluation process.
The community panel with include:
- Adam Duininck, President and CEO, Minneapolis Downtown Council
- Andrea Jenkins, former Minneapolis City Council president
- LaTonya Reeves, Chair, Community Commission on Police Oversight
- Catherine Shreves, Co-Chair, Plymouth Church Reimagining Community Safety Group
The Public Safety & Law Enforcement panel will be:
- Sheriff Dawanna Witt, Hennepin County
- Chief Scott Boerboom, Minnetonka Police Department and President, Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association
- Jason Case, retired MPD Deputy Chief of Investigations
- Deputy Chief Tom Campbell, MPD
- Col. Christina Bogojevic, Minnesota State Patrol
- Sgt. Sherral Schmidt, President, Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis
- Chief Booker T. Hodges, Bloomington Police Department and local representative of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
- Michael Harrison, Deputy Mayor of Public Safety, City of New Orleans
“Community input has been important throughout this process, and we want those perspectives represented as we begin evaluating candidates,” said Commissioner Barnette. “We also want experienced public safety and law enforcement leaders at the table who understand the complexity of leading a major police department. Together, these perspectives will help us identify a leader who can support our officers, strengthen relationships with our communities and continue the progress underway in Minneapolis.”
While candidate review is underway, the city will continue gathering community input.
Three community listening sessions were held in August, with two additional sessions scheduled over the next week. In total, the city will host five listening sessions across Minneapolis as part of the police chief search. The sessions are a partnership among the Mayor’s Office, Office of Community Safety and City Council members.
Residents and community stakeholders are being asked to share the priorities, qualities and characteristics they want to see in the next chief. That feedback, along with input from MPD employees, City Council members and other stakeholders, will help inform the evaluation and interview process.
Community engagement, an MPD employee survey and City Council input were included in the first phase of the search process announced earlier this summer.
Proposed timeline
The City anticipates the remainder of the search moving forward on the following timeline:
September
- Applications continue to be accepted
- Review and vetting of candidates underway
- Community listening sessions conclude
- Screening and candidate interviews begin
September–October
- Candidate interviews continue
- Finalists identified
October
- Final interviews with Mayor Frey, Commissioner Barnette and other City leaders
- Preferred candidate identified
- Background process begins
October–November
- Nomination submitted to the Minneapolis City Council
- Council review and confirmation process
- New Minneapolis Police Chief confirmed
The search remains on the timeline established when the national search was launched earlier this summer—approximately 16 weeks through candidate selection, followed by the background, nomination and City Council confirmation process.
Following the selection of a preferred candidate and completion of the required background process, Mayor Frey will nominate a candidate for consideration, and the City Council will confirm.