Inside Minneapolis' search for a new police chief

Minneapolis' search for a new police chief is set to include community focus groups, local meet-and-greets and a deep dive into finalists' social media presence per the city's contract with a headhunting firm.

What's happening: Public Sector Search & Consulting, a California-based firm that specializes in law enforcement, will help the city recruit, interview and vet candidates to succeed retired chief Medaria Arradondo.

Why it matters: The contract, released to Axios via a public records request, provides an additional window into the process city leaders will use to fill the critical and high-profile role of leading the state's largest police force.

Zoom in: Consultants plan to interview city officials and community groups to get a sense of what the city wants and needs from a new chief before launching an advertisement and outreach campaign to identify top candidates.

• The firm will screen and recommend candidates for virtual interviews conducted by a search committee recently unveiled by Mayor Jacob Frey.

Finalists will likely come to the the city for a tour, meetings with elected officials, department directors and police employees, and finalist interviews with the mayor and other top staff.

• That schedule could also include a live or virtual "meet the candidates" public event.

The price tag: The estimate totals about $75,000, plus $20,000 for expenses such as advertising and travel.

What's next: A spokesperson for the mayor said the firm is continuing to "hold conversations with a variety of internal and external stakeholders" and that the city remains on track to hire a chief this summer.

Go deeper: Read the full contract.