A dozen community members participated in interviews this month with five candidates hoping to replace Shaker Heights Police Chief Jeffrey DeMuth, who will retire in January. Serving on interview panels were local business owners; clergy; community advocates; and members of Civil Service Commission along with City management team members, Mayor David E. Weiss, and City Council member Tres Roeder, who chairs City Council’s Safety and Public Works Committee.
Panel members were asked to commit an entire day to the process and then share their views on the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. Mayor Weiss, the hiring authority for the chief of police, thanked the residents for participating. “I greatly appreciate the time and insight shared by such a diverse group of community members. Their input is invaluable,” Weiss said.
DeMuth has served residents as an officer in the Shaker Heights Police Department for the last 33 years, the last six years as police chief. He announced his retirement plans in June. The City then engaged a professional search firm to guide the process.
The search firm developed a web-based community survey asking residents what qualifications and leadership qualities they believe the new chief should possess. That survey was posted on the City’s website for three weeks in July, promoted with 13 posts on the City’s social media, each shared with eight neighborhood Facebook accounts. The survey was also emailed to subscribers of the City’s e-newsletter.
Also in July, the City engaged with a diverse group of more than 40 stakeholders who participated in City-facilitated focus groups. This resident input helped the search firm develop recruitment materials, including the experience and skills that residents want to see in the next police chief. The firm received 20 applications and narrowed the field to the five candidates interviewed on Nov. 18. A hiring announcement is expected early in 2023.
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