Sioux Falls Mayor Announces Hiring Panel For Next Police Chief

From the City of Sioux Falls:

May 11, 2021

Mayor Paul TenHaken has established a hiring panel for a new Police Chief. In April current Police Chief Matt Burns announced his plans to retire on July 23, 2021, after 25 years of service with the Sioux Falls Police Department (SFPD).

The panel consists of seven people, including partner organizations that work closely with the SFPD and community members who have ties in various ways to law enforcement. The hiring panel will consist of Erica Beck, Chief of Staff, City of Sioux Falls; Bill O'Toole, Human Resources Director, City of Sioux Falls; Michelle Boyd, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office; Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent, Sioux Falls School District; David Jal, Community Ambassador Program; Jessie Schmidt, South Dakota State Director of the Better Business Bureau; and Arthur McCray, CEO, ADVIE. Chief Burns will serve as an advisor to the Mayor and hiring panel throughout this process.

The hiring panel plans to identify the finalists by mid-June. At that point, the community will be invited to meet and interact with the finalists. Details regarding the public engagement opportunity will be outlined at a later date.

“Ensuring our community is engaged in the selection of the next Chief is important to my administration,” said Mayor TenHaken. “We are being very intentional about designing a meaningful search process to bring forward highly qualified candidates, including a diverse hiring panel and the opportunity for public engagement.”

The Chief of Police is an appointed position by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Sioux Falls City Council.

This press release was produced by City of Sioux Falls. The views expressed here are the author’s own.