COLUMBUS — In a break from tradition, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther says a national search will be conducted for the city’s next chief of police.
Chief Kim Jacobs will retire next month after nearly seven years on the job. Jacobs was the division’s first female chief.
In the past, new chiefs were chosen from the ranks of existing officers.
“This bold, historic move is something I fought for and won in arbitration because the people of Columbus and our police officers deserve the very best person to fill this role, whether that person comes from inside or outside the division,” Ginther said.
A change in city Civil Service Commission procedures allows the search to be expanded beyond Columbus, though it doesn’t rule out internal candidates, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Ginther says he wants someone committed to increasing diversity among department officers and aligning police practices with community expectations for police work.
“I am looking for a change agent who will pursue innovation and excellence in policing, someone who will use the recommendations of the resident-led Safety Advisory Commission as a roadmap,” he said.
Ginther says residents will be encouraged to lend their input to the process, which will get underway in the next few weeks.