Chelsea Begins Search for Police Chief Search Consultants

By Doug Marrin, STN Reporter

The Chelsea City Council approved a Request for Proposal (RFP) to be advertised in its first step in hiring a consulting firm to lead the City’s search for a new police chief.

Police Chief Ed Toth has announced his retirement effective August 15, 2022. The RFPs are due April 20, with the Council expected to consider and decide the winning bid at its May 2 meeting.

According to the proposal, Chelsea’s population is 5,467, with a full-service, 24/7 police department. The CPD is staffed with four full-time dispatchers and four part-time dispatchers. The officers consist of one police chief, three patrol sergeants, seven patrol officers, one investigator, one records clerk, two part-time officers, one part-time ordinance officer, and four reserve officers.

The consultants would be responsible for screening which candidates pair with the City’s needs for a police chief. With the City Council’s input, the firm would also be expected to create an ideal position profile, including salary and benefits package. The consultants would conduct the initial interviews and facilitate the selection and contractual process.

In response to a question from Mayor Jane Pacheco, Interim City Manager Amanda Garber explained the RFP would be distributed to consulting firms that assist in filling general leadership positions and firms that specialize in police chief searches.

More information on the RFP can be found on the City’s website.