For Immediate Release:

Contact: Bill Doughty, APR, 678-577-8152

City partners with state chiefs association to select top cop
Over 130 applicants want to be Johns Creek's first chief of police

JOHNS CREEK, Georgia—August 29, 2007—With more than 130 applicants vying to become Johns Creek's first chief of police, the City has partnered with the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police to ensure it get the best candidate for the job.

"The selection of the CEO for its law enforcement agency is one of the most important decisions a local government can make," City Manager John Kachmar said. "GACP knows this business better than anyone and they have a cadre of seasoned professionals who can help us evaluate the candidates both quantitatively and qualitatively. Their involvement also removes any external factors and preserves the integrity of the process."

Former Gwinnett County Chief of Police Bill Dean serves as interim chief. He will narrow the initial applicant pool down to about 20 and then forward those resumes to the Duluth-based GACP.

The association's staff will trim that group further, to about eight, said Executive Director Frank Rotondo. Those candidates will then be put through a series of in-depth evaluations designed to measure dimensions as they relate to Johns Creek's specific needs, Rotondo said. They include technical and professional knowledge; communication, observation and problem-solving skills; command presence; judgment; and integrity. Candidates must also provide a written narrative related to specific aspects of law enforcement.

A team of four assessors – all current, veteran Georgia police chiefs from cities similar to Johns Creek – will independently review and rank the results and recommend the top four or five candidates to interview with the City. Rotondo said it should take about three weeks to go through the process and make the recommendations.

"Our process, involving statistically valid predictors, determines who best demonstrates the necessary qualities to be successful as a chief," Rotondo said. "The personal interviews bring the intangibles into play – who is the best 'fit' – and only the city can decide that."

Plans call for the chief to be hired by the end of October and the rest of the command staff in place by the end of the year. The department will continue to grow in number in a phased fashion from January 2008 on. Patrols are expected to be on the City of Johns Creek streets by the end of the first quarter.

The department will consist of 69 people, 56 sworn officers and 13 staff personnel working in areas such as crime prevention, detectives, narcotics/vice, traffic unit, traditional patrol, records clerk and crime scene unit. Kachmar also noted that equipment, including 45 vehicles, and other departmental needs have been identified and the design of car graphics, uniform patches and badges is under way with input from local officers from several agencies.

For more information about the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, visit www.gachiefs.com.

About the City of Johns Creek
The City of Johns Creek, Georgia is located in the northeast corner of Fulton County. It was incorporated December 1, 2006, following a voter referendum July 18, 2006.

For more information, visit the City of Johns Creek Web site at www.JohnsCreekGA.gov.

Press Contact:
Bill Doughty, APR
Public Relations Manager
City of Johns Creek
P 678-577-8152

The City of Johns Creek believes all press releases were accurate as of their respective dates, but makes no representation as to accuracy on any other date and assumes no responsibility for updating information contained in any press release.