City officials urge Roanoke residents to participate in Police Chief selection
Roanoke, Virginia – Roanoke City officials are encouraging public participation in the selection process for the forthcoming Chief of Police.
As of August 3, the city received applications from over 20 aspirants spanning nine states for the esteemed position. Bob Cowell, the City Manager, has subsequently advanced six of these candidates to the subsequent phase.
The city has made available a survey until August 21, seeking public input on desired attributes for the next Chief of Police.
The feedback collected through this survey will be instrumental for City Manager Cowell and respective interview panels in their deliberations with each applicant.
In a statement, Cowell elaborated, “This survey enables any member of our community to share with me prior to interviewing the candidates what their expectations are for the new Chief. The engagement of our community is of great importance to me as we progress with this selection, and I hope folks will take full advantage of this opportunity.”
Roanoke’s Mayor, Sherman Lea, also shared his perspective on the attributes he envisions in the new Chief. “Personally, for me … one that’s strong in enforcement because I think we have to get things in order, pull things back together. Looking at the month of July, which was a terrible month for us,” Lea commented, referencing the seven homicides in July, six of which involved firearms. Additionally, August has witnessed two shootings, with one resulting in a fatality.
Mayor Lea underscored the significance of this appointment, saying, “He’s going to be the number one law enforcement person in our community. We want people to understand him, to know who he is, to understand his philosophy because that’s a part of community engagement.”
The prospective timeline for the interview and selection process is detailed below:
- Panel Interviews and Association Leadership Interaction: August 22 and 23
- Community Open House featuring the final candidate(s): Scheduled for the week commencing August 28
- Formal Offer of Employment: Expected by September 1
