And then there were three.
That’s the number of people on the short list to become Tacoma’s new police chief.
There were four people on the list, but last week one of those candidates – Assistant Chief Kevin Robinson of the Phoenix Police Department – removed his name from consideration.
Those remaining are David Brame, Assistant Chief, Tacoma Police Department; Gerald Galvin, Police Chief, City of Albuquerque; and Patrick Stephens, Deputy Chief, City of Cleveland.
Brame is a 20-year veteran of the Tacoma Police Department, and is currently assigned to the Patrol Division, which includes responsibility for 250 patrol and support employees, and a $22.5 million budget.
He has served in all bureaus of the department
Thirty-five candidates applied to replace Chief James Hairston, who plans to retire at the end of 2001.
City Manager Ray Corpuz, Jr. plans to make an appointment by the end of the year.
An eight-member panel made up of Mayor Mike Crowley, law enforcement representatives, city leaders and a community member screened eight candidates by telephone on Nov. 16 and narrowed the list down to four.
Corpuz plans to pull together two panels of the police chief’s working peers to interview the candidates and put on a televised public forum to introduce the candidates to the community Dec. 13.
He will conduct his final one-on-one interviews Dec. 14.
“We have a number of constituency groups who care deeply about public safety in our community, have a stake in the leadership of our police department and need an opportunity to weigh in with their perspective on this important decision,” Corpuz said.
“Our police chief, perhaps more than any other appointed city official, has to interact effectively with a wide range of interest groups.”
Tacoma’s new police chief will manage 420 employees, including 378 commissioned officers.
The total biennial department budget is $104 million.