News Flash

The City of Frederick is currently conducting a search for the Chief of Police of the Frederick Police Department. To support the search, the City will be engaging the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to serve as consultants; an external search committee to engage various community stakeholders and work with the IACP in reviewing the first round of applicants, and an internal selection committee to assist the Mayor in conducting a final review of the applicants. This site will be updated as the search process continues. 

Search Process - Currently in Phase Three (last updated 1/13/2021)

All feedback (community and FOP) has been received, compiled, and reviewed. Background investigations are currently underway and expected to be completed by early February. 

Phase Three (November/December)

• Mayor O’Connor and the internal selection committee will review the search committee’s recommendations, conduct final interviews, and select finalists
• Finalists will meet with community stakeholders: Finalists announced on 12/30/2020 (read news alert)
  • Jason Lando (Commander, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police)
  • Cleveland Spruill (Chief of Police, Athens County Georgia)
• Community Forum - Tuesday, January 5, 2021
  • Finalists Jason Lando and Cleveland Spruill shared their views on community policing during a recent community forum.  Questions were submitted by the community and then presented to the candidates by moderator Whitney Hahn. The finalists also met virtually with members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 91.
  • Feedback is requested from those who viewed (live or recorded) the community forum presentations. 
    • SUBMIT YOUR FEEDBACK on the finalists by 12PM on January 7, 2021. 
    • Jason Lando Recording  | Supporting Documents
    • Cleveland Spruill Recording  | Supporting Documents
    • View recordings with Closed Captioning
• Mayor O’Connor selects his final candidate for consideration and approval by the Board of Aldermen.
  

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Phase One (September/October)

• Job description and application period open for 30 days
• External search committee engages the community on preferred qualities, qualifications, and experiences of a future police chief (read letter to the community). **View a list of the community groups contacted by the search committee directly at the bottom of the page. 
• The community survey closed on November 6, 2020; 688 responses were collected. View the results: Summary |  Full results
• The internal FPD survey closed on October 31, 2020; 116 responses were collected. View the results: Summary | Full results

Completed Virtual Community Feedback Sessions.
Consistent with the City’s determination that there will no in-person meetings, virtual community feedback sessions were used to garner feedback.  

• Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 10AM
• Thursday, October 29, 2020 at 6PM

Phase Two (October/November)

• External search committee and IACP conduct a preliminary review of applicants and determine the first round of interviewees
• External search committee and IACP complete the first round of interviews
• External search committee submits candidate recommendations to Mayor O’Connor

External Search Committee Public Meetings: 

December 17, 2020 - Recording | Minutes pending
December 12, 2020 - Recording | Closed Session
December 11, 2020 - Recording | Closed Session 
December 10, 2020 - Recording | Closed Session  
December 4, 2020 - Recording
November 19, 2020 (8AM) - Recording | Closed Session
November 12, 2020 - Recording
November 5, 2020 - Recording | Minutes
October 29, 2020 - Recording | Minutes
October 22, 2020 - Recording | Minutes
October 15, 2020 - Recording | Minutes
October 8, 2020 Meeting - Recording | Minutes
October 1, 2020 Meeting - Recording | Minutes

External Search Committee

• Teresa Bean, Education Representative, Chair
• Kavonte Duckett, Human Services Representative, Vice-Chair
• Derek Shackelford, Alderman
• Julia Schaeffer, Resident
• Kiesha Edmonds, Housing Services Representative
• Willie Ollie, Resident
• Danielle Doll, Business Community Representative
• Eliezer Valentin-Castanon, Religious Community Representative
• Nkem Wellington, Resident
• Sgt. Jonathan Shatlock, FPD Representative
• Chelsea Kadish, Legal Community Representative
• Karen Paulson, Staff Liaison
• Gayon Sampson, Staff Liaison

Engaged Community Groups

To enhance the community engagement effort, search committee members have reached out to 65+ organizations that are broadly representative of the Frederick community, encouraging them to provide input on the search for a new Police Chief. The list of organizations was compiled by committee members, who represent a broad cross-section of the community and consultation with the Office of the Mayor.  It is by no means exhaustive, and the committee welcomes additions. Please contact Gayon Sampson, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, at gsampson@cityoffrederickmd.gov to suggest additional organizations.