So now two of the Vancouver Police Department’s three deputy chiefs say they’re “interested” in becoming the city’s next top cop.
Deputy Chief Adam Palmer joins Deputy Chief Doug LePard as “interested” but whether that translates to either of them applying is not something they would share.
But, as Palmer pointed out when I asked him about the job during a break at last Thursday’s police board meeting, the posting for the chief’s position hasn’t gone up yet.
In fact, Palmer and others were about to join the police board behind closed doors to discuss the board’s search plan for a person to replace Police Chief Jim Chu, who is scheduled to retire in the spring.
That plan involves a three-member committee to conduct preliminary work associated with a national search. The full board will conduct the final interviews and make the selection, which could come in May.
Executive search firm Pinton Forrest Madden, which was involved in the board’s 2007 search, was hired by the board and recently recruited chiefs for West Vancouver and Victoria.
Part of the firm’s work will be to coordinate a plan to get feedback from the public on what kind of attributes, priorities and expectations they want from a new chief.
Interestingly, the firm has set up a confidential email address for people to provide thoughts/insight/concerns about potential candidates. A link to it can be found on the websites of the VPD and the police board.
VPD employees are also being asked to provide their input.
I wanted to ask Mayor Gregor Robertson, who doubles as the board’s chairperson, about the search, but he wasn’t at the board meeting but is on record saying that he expects some good candidates to apply from within the department.
Chu, as I reported last month, made it quite clear in his speech announcing his retirement that VPD senior staff should be strongly considered for the job.
The posting goes public Feb. 26.
So I’ve told you about Palmer and LePard.
But what about Deputy Chief Warren Lemcke’s status?
Is he interested?
I tried twice to ask him at the meeting but he moves quickly and wouldn’t give me a yea or a nay. So I’ll put him down for a maybe, unless I hear otherwise.
What complicates picking Chu’s successor is the fact Delta Police Service is on the hunt for a new chief. That force’s longtime leader, Jim Cessford, retired this month.
I polled the three Vancouver deputies about whether they were interested in competing for the Delta job.
Palmer said he’s not interested, LePard didn’t answer and Lemcke was hiding.
Meanwhile, Chu remains chief and still hasn’t divulged what his next move will be, although speculation is he might take a run at politics.
We’ll find out soon enough.
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