Ladner outlines timetable, goals for police chief search
Mar. 19—The Decatur City Council hopes to conduct police chief interviews the week of April 7 and have a chief soon after that, according to Council President Jacob Ladner.
The deadline for applications for the chief's job was midnight Tuesday.
Ladner told the audience during the public comment portion of the City Council meeting Monday that the city was still collecting applications.
During the public comment session, Ladner had several questions put to him by resident Mike Faruqui regarding the process for selecting a new chief after former Chief Todd Pinion stepped down.
Faruqui asked Ladner what he and some of the other council members were looking for in a chief. Council members Billy Jackson and Hunter Pepper were absent, and Mayor Tab Bowling left before the public comment portion of the meeting.
"We were asked for what we are looking for in a candidate and for me it's clear leadership," Ladner said. "We want to know that this person, whoever we hire, is in charge whenever they are in the room. It's also someone who can communicate really well. That's just something we have seen over the past 17 to 18 months that we've got to have a police chief that can really do that effectively, both internally at City Hall with the Police Department and externally with the public."
Pinion vacated the position of chief under pressure from some council members, who expressed concern about his ability to communicate with the public and his control of the department.
"Then the other thing is just someone who can dig in and do the work and have experience doing that," Ladner said. "A hard worker who is maybe even excited about coming in and really digging in. We've got to help them with morale and recruitment retention. All those things internally — those policies and procedures — all those things we saw in the Green report that need to be maybe fixed. But then also externally with the public. Somebody that's going to sit down and listen and work through those frustrations. It's got to be clear that this person is willing to do that."
The Green Technology & Research report is the culmination of a recent study performed on the Police Department to assess its strengths and weaknesses and identify what needs to be improved. After a redacted version of the Green report was released, Pinion stepped down from his role and former Decatur officer Nadis Carlisle took over as interim chief.
Carlisle has said he hopes he can bring peace to Decatur, which has been embroiled in controversy since the Sept. 29, 2023, fatal police shooting of Steve Perkins. Former police officer Mac Marquette was indicted for murder in the case. Police and protesters have frequently been in conflict while Marquette awaits his April 7 jury trial.
Ladner said the police chief is one of the most important positions in the city.
"When you look at the police chief, I would put them right there with the mayor," Ladner said. "They are someone who the public looks to for answers or just kind of as a leader of our city even more so than the City Council members really should be. The average citizen thinks the mayor and police chief are right up there at the top.
"So, you've got to be able to communicate. You've got to be willing to sit down and listen and sometimes take a verbal beating or two and then your job is to serve the public. That's critical. Someone who's willing to sit down and have communication with all members of the community."
Ladner said Carlisle, who was selected by Bowling, is doing an adequate job.
"I met Nadis for the first time two weeks ago at the council meeting," Ladner said. "I've heard good things about him. I know his family, but I don't know him. His job is to be the interim chief and he's doing the best he can."
Resident Justin Shepherd asked about the Green report. The interim chief has not read the unredacted version of the report, according to City Attorney Herman Marks.
Councilman Kyle Pike said he wants a chief who will require officers to do their jobs and do them right, as well as someone who both the public and the department can trust. He told Shepherd he will determine that based on their experience — where they have been and what they have accomplished. — Timeline
Ladner said the council wants to hire a chief as quickly as possible but also find the best police chief they can.
"We don't have a strict timeline," he said. "Human Resources thought we could do the interviews the week of April 7. Potentially, if we have a clear-cut answer in those interviews, I think the following week we could potentially at least have HR go, 'This is the person we want you to start negotiations with.'"
He said the timing will be impacted by whether the selected candidate reaches an agreement with the city and whether the candidate has to give notice to a current employer.
"Certainly, as quickly as we can," Ladner said. "There may not be a more important position to hire."
— jean.cole@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2361
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