Mayor Tim Kelly Calls on Citizens to Participate in Survey for Police Chief Selection

Mayor Tim Kelly Calls on Citizens to Participate in Survey for Police Chief Selection

In a recent invitation to Chattanoogans, Mayor Tim Kelly solicited their participation in an online survey crucial to the selection process of the city’s next Chief of Police. This is the city’s initiative to encourage the community’s active involvement in matters that directly affect them.

The Survey

The new online Community Survey, accessible at chattanooga.gov/chief, comes with three thought-provoking questions designed to help identify the qualities that residents believe are essential for the city’s police chief. It also includes an open-text field for participants to voice their opinions freely. These inputs from Chattanoogans will be invaluable to the interviewing process of the chief of police candidates.

“As we move through the interview process for our Chief of Police candidates, we want to hear from all parts of Chattanooga. I’m asking every Chattanoogan to spend about three minutes to ‘Make your voice heard’ by taking our brief survey that will help inform the selection of our next chief of police.”, Mayor Kelly remarked.

The Advisory Panel

Apart from the community survey, Mayor Kelly also revealed the formation of an Advisory Panel. The panel’s role is to supplement the feedback gathered from the survey and ensure that the selected chief of police best represents the community’s needs and the Chattanooga Police Department. The panel comprises local stakeholders picked from a diverse range of voices, backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas.

Expressing his gratitude to the panel, Mayor Kelly said, “I want to thank this group of Chattanoogans for agreeing to volunteer their time to ensure Chattanooga gets the best possible Police Chief for our community and the Chattanooga Police Department. Together with the input we receive from the community survey, this panel will make sure that Chattanooga’s entire community is well represented in the decision-making process.”

Chaired by Councilwoman Raquetta Dotley, who also serves as chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, the Advisory Panel includes dignitaries, residents, and representatives from different backgrounds and affiliations, all committed to ensuring that the Police Department’s leadership aligns with the community’s needs.

The comprehensive process of selecting the new Police Chief, thus, becomes a synchronized effort of the local government, the Advisory Panel, and most importantly, the public. This approach to governance, Mayor Kelly believes, is crucial in ensuring that the local government’s decisions represent the people’s will, and consequently, meet their needs effectively.

The inclusive survey and the participation of the Advisory Panel stand as shining examples of democratic governance and active community involvement.