Springfield's next police chief: "It's a very important job in our community."
Oct. 10—The list of qualities desired or issues facing Springfield's next police chief are long, including prevention of violent crime, increased community outreach, and recruitment and retention of officers.
Those are just some of what local community leaders, police union members and city officials have shared with the company leading the search for the next police chief, a person responsible for overseeing roughly 120 officers and a budget of more than $13 million.
Springfield Police Chief Lee Graf will retire Dec. 30, city officials announced in September.
The search for his replacement is well underway. In order to gather public input, groups of community members met with a consultant group hired by the city to assist in the search, according to city communications coordinator Valerie Lough.
"It's a very important job in our community," said Mike McDorman, president of the Greater Springfield Partnership.
He participated in one of the community feedback sessions and said the job of a police chief carries a lot of responsibility and faces many challenges, which is why dialogue surrounding the role is important.
"It meant a lot that the city took that extra step," he said.
The police chief — who will be paid roughly $105,000 to $135,000 — will be selected by Springfield's city manager and confirmed by the city commission.
"Chief Graf has been a major asset to our community for decades and has truly been a servant leader during his tenure as police chief," said Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck.
Management Partners is a local government consulting firm that helps cities, counties and other leaders improve their organizations and operations. It specializes in strategic planning, recruitment and other services.
A posting for the job was published on the city's website in late September, with a deadline to apply slated for Oct. 28, according to Management Partners special adviser Greg Horn. He is working with the city to assist with the search and hiring process.
Management Partners has received more than a dozen applications, all external, for the job as of last week, according to Horn. Internal applications are also expected, with the group projecting at least 20 internal and external applications.
The consultant group has already begun vetting candidates. The consultants will work with the city to refine the pool of applicants following the submission deadline, which the city could decide to extend, Horn said.
The pool will diminish through recommendations to the city, full-day assessments and other methods until a few individuals are left as top recommendations to the city.
Community input
The search process began weeks back with input from various groups sharing thoughts on qualities they would like the next police chief to possess, as well as what issues they believe are law enforcement priorities for the community, Horn said.
Groups that participated included city leadership and staff members, members of the three local police unions, and roughly 40 people in community groups geared toward finance, justice and equality. Also participating was the Community Police Advisory Team (CPAT).
Some themes were commonly voiced among the groups: communication, visibility and approachability, to name a few. Groups also said ideal candidates should have experience in a diversity of aspects in law enforcement, Horn said.
"The discussion was very frank and forthright," he said. "Their input really stayed with us."
Stakeholders also discussed challenges that the community is facing. Horn said police unions involved in the public input process, as well as other community groups, voiced the challenge of recruitment and retention among police forces — a national trend felt locally.
Groups also voiced a desire for more professional development and internal training opportunities for police officers, and many people also said diversity, equity and inclusion should be kept in mind in the hiring process.
Violent crime
Horn said groups also consistently brought up the topic of community violence, with members pointing to increases and changes in violent crime locally.
The Springfield NAACP hosted a community conversation over the summer with numerous attendants that discussed how violent crime has changed over time. Both shooters and victims are increasingly younger, with people as young as 15 shooting guns or being shot. More shooters are involved in gun-related incidents than in past years, multiple guns are being used, and more fire power is involved in shootings.
Reports of shots fired incidents doubled from 2019 to 2020, according to the Springfield Police Division.
Community groups also voiced a desire to have leadership to engage in outreach programming.
"There was a comment that someone made that I thought was really poignant," Horn said. "'We don't want to be asked to assist with putting the fire out. We want to prevent fires.'"
Although Denise Williams, the president of the Springfield NAACP, was not involved in the consultant-led conversations, she said she offered her own local recommendations to the city manager's office about who may be a good fit for chief.
"We need someone who knows the community," she said, "someone who can work with multiple groups."
Challenging time
Horn said the search for police chiefs nationally is challenging due to the "market being much tighter" than even just five years ago.
A few factors contribute to this, Horn said. The national atmosphere surrounding law enforcement has changed. Many law enforcement employees in the Baby Boomer generation are also retiring, and not many people are seeking certifications and examinations necessary to advance to higher rankings, Horn said.
"Fewer people are making moves or entering the force altogether," he said.
Graf
was appointed chief in December 2017. A decorated Marine Corps veteran, Graf has been with the department since 1996.
In his tenure, he rose through the ranks, serving as sergeant in the Community Policing Unit; lieutenant in the Uniform Patrol and the Professional Standards divisions; and captain of Uniform Patrol.
He is credited with launching community policing initiatives that include the Citizen Police Academy and the police substation at 17 W. Johnny Lytle Ave, according to the city.
"I have full faith and confidence that this community will continue to be well-served in the capable hands of my fellow officers after my departure," Graf said during the city's announcement of his retirement.
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By the Numbers:
2017: The year Chief Lee Graf started his role as the Springfield Police Division's Chief
1996: The year Graf started working at the Springfield Police Division
28: The day in October that job applications for chief are requested by
