Keller Launches Search for Permanent Police Chief

Mayor Tim Keller said Wednesday that he has launched a national search for a permanent police chief.

The search began in March and the decision on who to hire for the job is expected in June, Keller said in a news release. Whoever is chosen will replace interim Chief Mike Geier, who has had the job since early December.

“On day one, we put in a new leadership team committed to reforming APD and rebuilding trust with the community,” Keller said. “As I said at the time, we simply couldn’t wait for a national search to get a new team on board to focus on accountability, reform and community policing. Our interim chief has brought crucial leadership to APD through this transition and has gone a long way toward turning this department around.”

“We have shaken things up by restructuring the police department while taking a proactive approach to working with our partners on reform, and submitted a budget that will finally fund the public safety efforts our city needs. We’re seeing better use of crime fighting strategies, and including neighborhood leaders and local businesses along the way, and we’re working to retain and recruit the officers we need. Now, it’s time to complete our police chief search.”

Keller said previously that his criteria for a police chief is someone with deep knowledge of our city and police department, an outside leadership perspective to implement change, and the respect of both front-line officers and the community.

Here's the job description that Keller's administration has issued for the chief's position.