A significant recruitment effort is underway as Phoenix seeks to appoint a new police chief. A key component of this process includes a public forum in March where the final three candidates will engage with the community.
To aid in this search, Phoenix has enlisted the help of an external firm. The selected individual will manage an extensive budget of $981 million, lead over 2,500 officers and 1,300 staff members, and navigate the department through the ongoing Department of Justice investigation.
Michael Sullivan, currently serving as the interim chief since September 2022, has expressed his intention to apply for the permanent position.
“I’ve been committed, I moved my family across the country, I bought a house in the community,” Sullivan shared with KJZZ News. “I’m very interested. I’m very interested in this department, the men and women in this department and the people in this community.”
The role of permanent chief has been vacant since Jeri Williams retired in the summer of 2022. While serving on an interim basis, Sullivan’s contract was extended by the City Council in June 2024, allowing him to remain until August 2025.
This extension followed a Department of Justice report that highlighted constitutional and civil rights violations within the Phoenix Police Department, including issues of discriminatory policing and excessive force.
In December, community and labor group listening sessions were organized by the city to gather input from stakeholders. Additionally, a community survey is being prepared to allow residents to express their priorities and submit questions for the forum scheduled on March 19.
Recruitment Timeline
December 2024: The City of Phoenix engaged the Police Executive Research Forum to lead a national search for the next police chief.
December 2024: Listening sessions with community members were held to collect insights from business leaders, neighborhood groups, and other stakeholders regarding the desired traits of the new chief.
December 2024: Labor group sessions were conducted to gather feedback from employee representatives on critical characteristics for the new chief.
January 2025: National recruitment commences.
February-March 2025: Semi-finalist interviews to be conducted.
March 2025: Announcement of finalists, including their names, photos, and brief biographies.
March 2025: Interviews with the finalists.
**March 19, 2025: The public will have the opportunity to participate in the Finalists Forum. Three candidates are expected to be present, answering questions derived from community and labor feedback. Public inquiries can be submitted online.
Discussion topics are expected to cover areas such as ongoing improvements, the DOJ investigation, hiring excellence, community relations, and leadership.
April 2025: Announcement of the new police chief.
April 2025: Plans for a press conference to announce the new chief.
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