Sioux Falls Police Chief Matt Burns. SFPD photo.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The public is invited to meet the final candidates for the City’s next Police Chief during a “Conversation with the Candidates” event at 5:30 p.m. June 14 in the Belbas Theater at the Washington Pavilion.
The final candidates for the position are Lt. Nick Cook and Lt. Jonathan Thum, who both currently serve with the Sioux Falls Police Department (SFPD).
The event will be an opportunity for the candidates to introduce themselves to the community. A meet and greet will be held from 5:30-6 p.m. in the Belbas Lobby, followed by a moderated conversation from 6:15-7 p.m. with the candidates in the Belbas Theater. Attendees will be able to suggest questions for the candidates prior to entering the theater.
The finalists have been selected by a hiring panel that includes partner organizations that work closely with the SFPD and community members who have ties in various ways to law enforcement. The hiring panel consists of: Erica Beck, Chief of Staff, City of Sioux Falls; Bill O’Toole, Human Resources Director, City of Sioux Falls; Michelle Boyd, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office; Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent, Sioux Falls School District; David Jal, Community Ambassador Program; Jessie Schmidt, South Dakota State Director of the Better Business Bureau; and Arthur McCray, CEO, ADVIE. Current Police Chief Matt Burns is serving as an advisor to the Mayor and hiring panel throughout this process. In April, Chief Burns announced his plans to retire on July 23, 2021, after 25 years of service with the SFPD.
The next steps in the hiring process will include additional internal interviews with the final candidates. The Chief of Police is an appointed position by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Sioux Falls City Council.
(The City of Sioux Falls contributed this report/news release.)
