Columbus city officials expect the police chief search subcommittee to present its findings on the four finalists at Tuesday’s council meeting.
According to the agenda for the meeting, Columbus Chief Operating Officer David Armstrong and Human Resource Director Pat Mitchell are slated to give the report of the subcommittee.
Armstrong confirmed that a report will be made Tuesday, saying, “We decided at the last meeting that we should have everything concluded … And then it’ll be up to (the council) to decide what they want to do from there.”
The four finalists left are: Curtis Brame of North Chicago, Ill.; Nathaniel Clark of Albany, Ga.; Selvain McQueen of Columbus; and Robert Spinks of Sequim, Wash. Sam Lathrop of Beloit, Wis., withdrew Oct. 27 from consideration, and city officials confirmed that Don Daniel of Casa Grande, Ariz., was the alternate slated to replace Lathrop. When Daniel also withdrew, the council decided to move ahead with only four finalists.
The members of the subcommittee are: Birney Imes, Dispatch publisher; Steve Rogers, WCBI assignment editor; Rep. Esther Harrison, D-Columbus, of Ward 1; and Bobby Jordan of Ward 2. Melissa Cook, Columbus-Lowndes Development Link vice president, withdrew from the subcommittee due to the Link’s view that the process is “flawed.”
Armstrong and Mitchell initially were supposed to serve as advisors to the committee to provide information regarding what questions to ask and not to ask. However, Armstrong said they became part of committee “because there was so much to do.”
“We worked on checking Nathaniel Clark and Robert Spinks,” he said.
Armstrong also said he has “no idea” when the council will begin interviews.
“We’re just going to make a presentation. That’ll be totally up to them,” he said.
Mayor Robert Smith previously said he hopes to have the entire process complete and a new police chief selected by mid-December. Only three regularly scheduled council meetings remain in the calendar year.
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