After the retirement of former Police Chief Herbert Blake and the selection of interim Chief Bill Hollingsed, City Council Thursday night began planning its search for the next leader of the Hendersonville Police Department.
City Manager John Connet told the council that the first step is a public survey, available through the city’s website until Sept. 11, to get input on the search. About 100 responses had come in by meeting time Thursday.
Next will be compiling the profile and job advertisement from input meetings and the current job description, and placing the advertisement in professional journals, newspapers and websites.
The posting will stay open until Oct. 11, he said, and the city will also recruit targeted individuals.
The council approved a contract with Developmental Associates LLC for assistance with the recruitment and evaluation process, the same company, Connet noted, that the city used to find him.
In a letter from Stephen Straus, president of Developmental Associates, included with the agenda, Straus says that over the last five years the company has conducted more than 20 searches for public safety chiefs.
Their record also includes recruiting four of North Carolina’s six female African-American chiefs of police.
After the initial review of candidates in early October, the pool will be narrowed to 12 to 15, Connet said, based on experience, education and background Google searches.
That list will be finalized Oct. 11, and second-level screenings with telephone interviews, emotional intelligence testing and survey responses will narrow the field to five or six by Oct. 19.
A virtual assessment will be conducted Oct. 28-29, with groups of 12 to 16 assessors made up of law enforcement professionals, local government managers, Hendersonville staff and community members.
The city manager will then conduct one-on-one interviews with the final candidates and on the 29th, assessors will provide ratings that will be coupled with the interviews to further narrow the field.
Connet stressed that if the city doesn’t find the ideal candidate, they won’t settle; they’ll start the process all over again.
Once a finalist is chosen, a thorough background investigation including inquiries in his or her home community will be conducted and the successful candidate will receive executive-level coaching based on the results of their emotional intelligence testing.
Blake awarded service weapon
As part of the consent agenda, the council also approved a motion to ratify the sale of Blake’s service weapon for $409 and to present the weapon to him.
The funds were provided by an anonymous donor, according to the agenda.
The city presented Blake with the weapon in honor of his more than 12 years working with the police department.
