Salem Police Chief Jerry Moore.(Courtesy/City of Salem)
Salem is starting a search for a new police chief and wants residents to weigh in through an online survey.
Current Police Chief Jerry Moore announced his retirement in November after leading the Salem Police Department for 14 years.
Job search firm Ralph Andersen and Associates is starting the recruitment process and will analyze the survey responses. The survey will be available for most of June, said Salem HR Director Mina Hanssen.
TAKE THE SURVEY: LINK
The survey lists qualities respondents would like to see in a new chief like problem solving, transparency and the strength the make unpopular decisions.
It asks survey takers to rank priorities for the department from crime solving to community relationships.
It also asks people to rate their experience with the Salem Police Department and asks if the city feels more or less safe than a year ago.
The survey will be used to create a candidate profile that’s less of a job description and focuses more on important qualities in a new chief, Hanssen said.
“We’re developing a new position profile that looks at how policing is done now,” she said.
Hanssen said the city is hoping to start the recruitment process in July with October as a tentative start date.
Moore’s contract runs until the end of the year, but it can be ended sooner if needed, she said.
The coronavirus pandemic has slowed the hiring process and hampered in-person interviews. But Hanssen said the community will have an opportunity to meet candidates in the early fall.
The salary range is currently between $131,735 to $209,130 annually. Hanssen said that amount could change after the recruitment firm compares the salary range to other similar-sized cities.
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