Community feedback overwhelmingly said fit most important
Brian Coddington, Communications Director, 509.625.6740
Monday, August 1, 2016 at 11 a.m.
Spokane Mayor David Condon introduced Craig Meidl today as the next chief of the Spokane Police Department after months of community conversations that determined community fit was the most important qualification.
A citizen committee reviewed the job description, identified the qualities desired from the next police chief and offered a process by which to find that person. The search, with the assistance of a professional recruiting firm, drew candidates from across the country, and ultimately, the community interviewed two highly qualified external finalists.
“We considered some very qualified applicants, but the conversations I had with the community always came back to fit,” Condon said. “Sometimes you have to look far and wide to discover that what you are looking for has been with the department the entire time.”
Meidl, who started with the department in January 1994, has steadily progressed during his 22 years with the Spokane Police Department, including holding the ranks of captain, major and, most recently, assistant chief. He holds a master’s degree from Gonzaga University in organizational leadership with an emphasis on servant leadership and has attended the FBI National Academy and Senior Management Institute for Police.
“I am dedicated to working hand-in-hand with our community partners and leaders to ensure we all live in a safe, vibrant, and healthy community,” Meidl said.
The Spokane Police Department has come a long way over the past four-plus years with the assistance of the Use of Force Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Service program. The department has achieved state accreditation, become the eastern Washington site for the Basic Law Enforcement Academy and been asked to serve as a regional training site for procedural justice training at the request of the DOJ.
“Craig is the chief to continue the momentum and lead the Spokane Police Department as it makes Spokane the safest city of its size,” Condon said. “He has grown and learned with the department and understands the community and its needs very clearly.”
