Philadelphia's police watchdog pays for help in new leader search
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Philadelphia's police watchdog will pay an outside firm to help the agency find a new executive director after the initial search imploded following infighting among commissioners.
Why it matters: The Citizens Police Oversight Commission has been trying to permanently fill its leadership void for more than a year, rebooting the process in June after three commissioners resigned over the board's decision to extend an offer to a former police officer.
Driving the news: Commissioners voted 3-2 on Tuesday to hire and pay $35,400 to Philadelphia-based firm Jane HR to conduct the new job search.
- The firm is already under contract with the city so that'll help speed up the process, CPOC's lawyer Catherine Twigg said during the meeting.
Yes, but: Commissioners still couldn't offer a timeline of when they expect to have a permanent executive director in place.
The intrigue: Commissioners will still handle much of the "leg work" in the search, CPOC chairman Jahlee Hatchett said at the meeting.
Catch up quick: Interim executive director Anthony Erace has led CPOC since it was created two years ago.
- He was one of five finalists in the last search and had the backing of a City Council member, but was passed over in favor of Richard Rivera, who's currently the police director in Penns Grove, New Jersey.
- The decision to hire Rivera led to the resignations of three commissioners in May.
Between the lines: The commissioners argued that Rivera was barred from taking the job because of a city law preventing the watchdog from considering candidates employed by Philadelphia police or who were union members while working for a municipal or state police department.
- Hatchett said at a previous meeting that there were "different interpretations" of the law, but agreed a new director search was needed because of the perception of unfairness.
Be smart: Commissioners didn't offer any insight into whether former police officers are eligible to apply this go-round.
- Rivera tells Axios that he intends to re-apply.