San Diego has started an online survey to gain feedback for the San Diego Police Department's next chief of police.
"Choosing who will lead the police department will directly impact the public safety of all San Diegans," said Mayor Todd Gloria. "For this reason, City Councilmembers and I hope all community members will express their needs and desires so that we can best select the appropriate candidate for this sensitive and important role."
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Community members are asked to complete the survey -- www.surveymonkey.com/r/T2M9X73 -- to share their opinions about the qualities and characteristics they'd like to see in the next chief of police.
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San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit, who was promoted to the top position in 2018, officially announced his retirement in 2023 and will complete his service in June 2024. Nisleit joined SDPD in 1988, following in the footsteps of his father, who also had a long career as a police officer with the department.
"It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the city of San Diego during my 36 years with the San Diego Police Department," said Nisleit when he announced his retirement. "I'm committed to continuing the great progress we've made toward keeping San Diego one of the safest big cities, and look forward to transitioning the department into the hands of the top-tier candidate who is selected to serve as the next police chief."
In addition to the survey, which is also accessible in Spanish, the city's human resources department will be hosting a series of community forums, with one in each of San Diego's nine council districts throughout January. The complete schedule for the forums can be found on the Chief Recruitment webpage, www.sandiego.gov/police/next-police-chief.
Community forum schedule
- Monday, Jan. 8: Council District 7 Community Forum from 6-8 p.m.
- Thursday, Jan. 11: Council District 1 Community Forum from 6-8 p.m.
- Friday, Jan. 12: Council District 2 Community Forum from 5-7 p.m.
- Saturday, Jan. 13: Council District 8 Community Forum from 10 a.m. to noon
- Tuesday, Jan. 16: Council District 9 Community Forum from 5-7 p.m.
- Wednesday, Jan. 17: Council District 5 Community Forum from 5-7 p.m.
- Thursday, Jan. 18: Council District 6 Community Forum from 6-8 p.m.
- Tuesday, Jan. 23: Council District 4 Community Forum from 6-8 p.m.
- Wednesday, Jan. 24: Council District 3 Community Forum from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
"Every person in every neighborhood deserves to feel and be safe. Providing safety to all people of all backgrounds requires understanding the nuanced and varied needs of the 1.4 million San Diegans," said City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera. "We can only gain that understanding with the help of the community.
"The police chief search forums offer an opportunity for the city to learn directly from the community what sort of leader will help us achieve our goal of making all people feel safe," he said. "I hope we'll have the sort of robust community participation that helps San Diego find the ideal chief to achieve our goal of providing safety and justice for all."
Community members who are interested in participating in the meetings are encouraged to RSVP online; however, an RSVP is not required to attend. Language interpretation and accessibility services are available during the meetings upon request.
Candidates for the job will undergo a series of interviews, including one conducted by a panel of community leaders nominated by City Councilmembers and Gloria.
The city council's official process to hire a new chief calls for the mayor to appoint a candidate to be confirmed by the council.
Public forum in District 7
The first public forum was on Monday in District 7.
San Diego City Councilman Raul Campillo said his district's top priorities are a police chief who knows how to use the resources to keep the community safe, lift department morale, protect victims and ensure justice is served.
“The members of the community, they see on a daily basis what public safety means to them, their families, their children. We are going to be taking what they say very seriously," Campillo told NBC 7. "It's really going to be up to the mayor — taking the council's feedback and saying who is the person to meet the challenges of the city right now."
Tasha Williamson, a community activist and founder of "Exhaling Injustice," says she plans to attend every meeting.
"I am here because I want to make sure that people actually get out what they want to see in a chief," Williamson said. "Does that mean that’s what we are going to get? Of course not. They are going to pick whoever it is that they want to pick.“
Williamson says the transparency of the process should begin with releasing publicly the personnel files of each candidate.
"Do they have EEOC complaints? Do they have disciplinary actions? Were they fit for duty? All those things should be open and available," Williamson said.
