HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2016-02-04 IACP public meetings
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Betsy Arnett, Public Information Officer
barnett@leesburgva.gov 703-771-2734
Town of Leesburg Begins Search for New Chief of Police
Input sessions to gather feedback on community needs and expectations of the
new chief will be held on Wednesday, February 17, 2016.
Leesburg, VA (February 4, 2016) – The Town of Leesburg has engaged the executive search
services of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to recruit the Town’s next
Chief of Police. On Wednesday, February 17, 2016, representatives from IACP will meet with
community leaders and stakeholders to gather feedback on community needs and
expectations. IACP will use this input to develop a position profile for the recruitment process.
There will be two input sessions open to the general public. The first session will be at 12:00
noon in Ida Lee Park Recreation Center’s lower level meeting rooms (60 Ida Lee Drive NW). All
are welcome to attend, but this session will be focused on gathering feedback from the
business community. The second public meeting will be at 7:00pm, also at Ida Lee Park
Recreation Center. The evening input session will be focused on gathering feedback from the
community at large.
“Hiring a Chief of Police is very different from hiring other leadership positions with in the
Town,” said Kaj Dentler, Leesburg’s Town Manager. “The Town has changed dramatically in the
time that Chief Price has been here. In 2000, our population was 28,311. Today, the Town’s
population is almost 50,000 and we are much more diverse community. Over the past sixteen
years, the Leesburg Police Department has become a highly professional, nationally recognized
organization. The field of law enforcement is facing significant challenges right now, not just
here but around the country. Having community input and engagement on what our residents
want and expect from the Police Department and its leader is a key element in identifying the
right candidates for the next Chief of Police.”
The entire recruitment process is expected to take four to six months. The Town’s current Chief
of Police, Joseph Price, will retire on March 1, 2016. Captain Vanessa Grigsby, Commander of
the department’s Administration and Support Services Division, will serve as interim Chief
following Price’s retirement.
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