(KRON) — Oakland will likely have a new police chief by the end of the year, according to Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. The mayor said the timeline for appointing a new chief was “back on track,” while speaking to KRON4’s Justine Waldman.
The mayor said the police commission has been working to make its recommendations to fill the position. According to the Oakland city charter, the police commission must recommend its final three candidates so the mayor can appoint one.
Last month, Mayor Thao told KRON4 that she’d given the commission a deadline to send her the three candidates’ names by the end of the year, or she’d call for a state of emergency and hire a chief herself.
On Thursday, the mayor was upbeat about the commission making that deadline.
“I’m very optimistic that I will receive the three names that they will recommend to me so that I can make a decision around the police chief,” Mayor Thao said. “I’m excited for those efforts and by next year, we will have our new police chief.”
Oakland has been without a police chief since the mayor fired former Chief LeRonne Armstrong back in February. Recently, the police commission recommended its top seven candidates for the job of Oakland’s top cop.
One of the names on the list was that of former chief LeRonne Armstrong. Mayor Thao previously told KRON4 that she does not see Armstrong as a candidate for the job, despite him being placed on a shortlist of potential candidates.
