Citizen Advisory Committee Announced to Assist Search for City Police Chief

Mayor Lyda Krewson has formed a Citizen Advisory Committee that will help guide the City during the search for a new chief of police.

"Ensuring that the police department is community-oriented and accountable to the public is paramount in hiring a new police chief," Mayor Lyda Krewson said. "Making sure a cross-section of our city has input into the hiring process is a critical first step."

The Citizen Advisory Committee will help shape the structure of the search, provide input on what the search should look like and give the City feedback along the way.

Mayor Krewson envisions the committee drafting the formal job description for a new police chief, incorporating different community groups into the search process and deciding whether to hire a search firm.

Candidates inside and outside the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department will be considered.

Members of the Citizen Advisory Committee are:

• Zachary Boyers, Chairman & CEO, U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation; Co-Chair, Forward Through Ferguson
• Lisa Cagle, Member, Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression
• Anna Crosslin, President & CEO, International Institute of St. Louis
• David Dwight, Communications & Strategy Catalyst, Forward Through Ferguson
• Jessica Eiland, Project Manager, Rise Community Development; recent President, Northside Community Housing
• Thomas J. Irwin, Executive Director, Civic Progress; former member St. Louis City Board of Police Commissioners
• Daniel Isom, General Manager, Regional Justice Information Service; Adjunct Professor, University of Missouri-St. Louis; Retired Chief of Police, City of St. Louis
• Marius Johnson-Malone, Deputy Director of Community-Based Studies, Better Together
• Bishop Courtney Jones, Senior Pastor, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church
• Alderman Terry Kennedy, Chair, Board of Aldermen Public Safety Committee; Alderman - Ward 18
• Stephen Rovak, Chairman, Civilian Oversight Board, City of St. Louis; Partner, Dentons US, LLP law firm
• Tina Siebert, Realtor, Missouri Realtor State Director; Southampton Neighborhood Association Board, MBA, former Human Resource professional
• Erwin O. Switzer, Officer, Greensfelder law firm; former member, St. Louis City Board of Police Commissioners

The Committee will be staffed by the City’s Public Safety Director (Charlene Deeken), Personnel Director (Rick Frank), Deputy Mayor for Racial Equity and Priority Initiatives (Nicole Hudson), and Sr. Policy Adviser (Carl Filler).

Mayor Lyda Krewson said she has full confidence in Chief Lawrence O'Toole and appreciates his leadership.

The process, scheduled to begin with an initial meeting of the Citizen Advisory Committee in the coming weeks, is expected to take between 6-12 months. 

Upcoming Meeting

• June 27, 2017 6 PM - 8 PM
• July 8, 2017 10 AM - 12 Noon 

Related Resources

• Citizen Advisory Committee

Update July 17, 2017

The Department of Personnel has posted an RFP looking for a firm to assist with identifying and recruiting candidates for the position of Police Commissioner. View the RFP.