Abilene police chief update: Survey results in, search committee to be named
A Texan.
If current Abilene Police Department personnel, both sworn and civilian, had a preference, they'd want the community's next chief to hail from the Lone Star State.
Or at least have solid background in Texas law enforcement.
On Thursday, Troy Riggs, who is serving as public safety director of APD, provided results of an department survey regarding qualities they desire in a new chief.
At the end of March, Marcus Dudley Jr. resigned the position. He was hired in late 2020 to succeed Stan Standridge as chief, assuming the role in January 2021.
Riggs in late April was hired to assist in the search for a chief. As a neutral observers with years of law enforcement experience, he has been tasked not to lead the department but to evaluate it and engage conversation about the new chief.
Assistant Chief Doug Wrenn is the interim chief. Wrenn several times Thursday was praised for leading a department that will number 235 this fall. The City Council approved adding personnel at the request of Dudley, who also added a second cadet academy to each year.
More: Assistant chief Wrenn to head Abilene police in interim role
City Manager Robert Hanna, who provided a hiring process update Thursday, said he has 100% confidence in all members of the department during this time without a chief.
"The people who are leading this department right now know what they're doing and they work hard to serve the members of our community."
Dudley came to Abilene from Aurora, Colo., - the first chief hired from outside Abilene. His successor will be the 18th chief in APD history, which began with a city marshal.
It was made clear Thursday, however, that the Texan preference was not a direct reaction to Dudley personally or professionally. It's a preference, Riggs said. Texas law enforcement is respected nationwide, and things are done differently here.
"What I understand is that they want someone who understands Texas culture and understand Texas policing," said Riggs, who in his career came to Corpus Christi from Louisville, Kentucky, to be chief. "I was tried by fire early on when I was delivered a history book on the state of Texas. I understood that I had to understand Texas law enforcement."
He received guidance from Corpus area sheriffs.
Riggs said that if a non-Texan is chosen as chief, he would expect to see that kind of support here.
More: Meet the new guy: APD's public safety director lays out plan for new chief
Wanted: A servant leader
Riggs said Thursday that he found that APD personnel desire a chief who is a servant leader.
"They want an individual who comes to work here in this office every day willing to lead. And when they're leading, willing to communicate and willing to engage," Riggs said. "Wiling to talk about what's working and what's not working. Get that input to make this police department the best it can be.
"It already is a good police department."
The next chief needs to understand the sacrifices made by personnel who work nights, weekends and holidays. The chief should be willing to sacrifice as well, both for them and the community.
The next chief must be a mentor, whose is responsible for the next generation of APD and how they serve the next generation of residents.
"A legacy for the department should be their No. 1 goal," Riggs said.
Top qualities for a new chief
Riggs asked three questions in his survey:
What qualities should the next chief possess?
What opportunities or challenges exist in the APD?
What else do you want to add to this discussion about the department?
Riggs said he didn't want boxes checked. Instead, he sought thoughtful feedback.
"The thoroughness and professionalism of those reports is quite impressive," Riggs said.
Some written responses, he said, were several pages. Those responding could do so with anonymity. Some personnel spoke to him personally.
"The feedback has been exceptional," he said.
Riggs said he has continued to attend patrol briefings and talking to investigators and civilian personnel. From those conversations, he has been able to take the pulse of the department and obtain honest feedback.
The survey provided more data.
Here is how APD personnel ranked seven qualities, in order of importance:
Integrity/accountability
Communications (transparent, active listener)
Humble, approachable, servant
Empathetic or adaptable
Consistency/fairness
Committed
Innovator, critical thinker, courageous
Riggs emphasized the No. 2 quality - communicator.
"Having a chief who is a good communicator is extremely important to the men and women of this police department," he said. "Not just being seen by the officers or going to the briefings and speaking, but two-way communication. Accepting feedback from officers. Accepting feedback from citizens. Accepting criticism at times or better ways of doing things.
"I think that shows big maturity on the side of the police department that they are not only concerned about their leader communicating with them but more importantly, communicating with the public that they serve."
Hanna said these qualities were not lacking in Dudley. This just what the department wants to see in its chief.
Hanna said these are qualities likely sought in any organization.
What else is important?
Other attributes of a good chief expressed to Riggs were:
Experienced in a similar-sized department
Friendly and approachable
Patrol focused
Goal-setter, forward-thinker, driven and focused
Delegator
Command presence
Focused on service
Personable
Optimist
Vision setting
From this list of 10 items, what struck Riggs most was the chief being a delegator.
"They want someone who understands that, as chief, their responsibility is not just to the department during their tenure, their responsibility ... lasts well past their tenure," Riggs said. The department is better shape when they leave, and it will continue to get better because they were able to "delegate, mentor and empower the workforce."
Riggs said what was off the table in data research was talking about the past
"Let's look to the future," he said.
Opportunities for APD
The final area Riggs talked about Thursday were opportunities. That comes down to two things:
Engagement/communications, both internally and externally
Additional training for mid-level managers
Engagement and communication are key to addressing local issues, now and ahead, Riggs said.
Training is sought on many levels, he said, not just for mid-level personnel.
However, Riggs said, Wrenn and the departments other two assistant chiefs, Richard Waggoner and Craig Jordan, immediately identified that training when Riggs arrived. And so, Riggs dusted off training protocol he had used before, tailored it for Abilene and came up with a program. That training is scheduled for early August.
"You're already seeing actionable items coming out of this survey," Riggs said.
How is the hiring process going?
Riggs turned the media briefing over to Hanna.
The city manager said he is in the process of selecting a search committee. He was pleased with the group that determined Dudley to be the best candidate from a group of three finalists. That group included Melvin Martin, the long-serving APD officer and then chief who preceded Standridge.
He hopes to have that group finalized by Aug. 1.
Hanna said he had an initial meeting Friday with Strategic Government Resources, which again will be the search firm.
"My goal is to hire the best person who is qualified for that position. Man, woman. Internal, external," he said. "I think the process we used to select Marcus Dudley was a solid process."
Hanna called this an "open search." He believes the city owes it to the department and the community to make this a nationally search, but an internal hire is on the table. He said interest has been shown already in the post.
A hiring process timeline is forthcoming, he said. Hanna expects the process to take the rest of 2023, at least.
"I am not going to rush this decision. I had a citizen tell me yesterday that their are many people in the community that are mad at me for that. I said well, when they have 22 years being city manager, they can make those decisions," Hanna said. "But I am doing what I think is right for this department ... and for this community.
"This is not something you want to rush. It's too important of a position. But I am not lollygagging, either. We are doing this with all deliberate haste."
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene police chief update: Survey results in, search group in works
