Mayor Takes Search For New Police Chief National

Saturday, February 24th 2007, 6:19 pm

By: News On 6

The search for a new Tulsa Police Chief is going national. After interviewing three internal candidates, Deputy Chief Bill Wells, Major Rob Turner, and Major Paul Williams, Mayor Kathy Taylor decided to move forward with a nationwide search to find a new top cop.

â€œThis is about excellence,â€ said Taylor in a written statement. â€œThis is about hiring the very best person for the job because public safety cannot and will not take a back seat in my administration.â€

Mayor Taylor says Tulsa is faced with â€œserious issues regarding public safetyâ€ and she believes those issues will be handled best with someone from outside of the department.

â€œThis is about hiring the best person for the job, someone with a proven record of crime prevention, and experience with implementing broad change,â€ she said.

Police Chief Dave Been retires May 1st, Taylor hopes to have his replacement by then.