City of Topeka provides update on Police Chief search

The City of Topeka has officially closed the application process for the position of police chief. A total of 18 applicants applied for the role. The recruiting firm SGR will now begin the process of narrowing the pool down to four or five finalists.

To give residents an opportunity to meet the finalists, the city will host a public meet and greet on Wednesday, November 6, at the Emerald Ballroom in Hotel Topeka, located at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd.
The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will provide community members the chance to interact with the candidates and ask questions.

"We are excited to meet with the finalists and engage with the community as we select our next police
chief," said City Manager Dr. Robert Perez. "It's important that the candidates reflect our values and will work towards the goals outlined in our public input sessions. We invite all members of the community to participate and share their thoughts during this important time."

Following the public event, there will be a special meeting of the Governing Body at 6 p.m. on Thursday,
November 7, to discuss the police chief candidates, with the goal of selecting the next leader of the Topeka Police Department. They will meet in executive session.

The city will continue to provide updates on the search as the process moves forward.