Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed has retained the services of a public safety recruitment firm to help find a permanent police chief as the city continues to face an escalating crime epidemic.
The Montgomery Police Department (MPD) has been without a chief since the previous one, Darryl Albert, resigned amid sexual harassment allegations.
SEE: Montgomery Mayor Reed: Police chief's resignation came amid sexual harassment and other allegations
Since then, the city has been rocked by a wave of violent crime that has increased calls from leaders and lawmakers across the state to solve the crime problem.
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Last week, the city announced that former Alabama State University (ASU) Police Chief James (Jim) Graboys would serve as interim chief of police, and former Mobile Police Chief Lawrence L. Battiste IV would serve as special public safety advisor to the mayor. Grayboys will serve until the city completes its search for a permanent fixture.
To help speed up the process, the city tapped Texas-based firm Strategic Government Resources (SGR) to help recruit, assess and secure the next chief. Since 2002, SGR has successfully conducted more than 450 local government searches in 37 states and is actively engaged in local government management operations across the country.
At a Wednesday city council meeting, Reed said that SGR had already begun contacting city leadership as the firm conducted its search.
"With the new interim chief of police in place, we have the luxury of taking the appropriate time needed to find Montgomery's next police chief," Reed said. "I've hired the national search firm Strategic Government Resources to help us find the right person for the job. SGR has worked to fill several hundred local government positions, and I am confident that they will provide us with the tools we need to identify and hire the leader this city deserves."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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