Bellingham wants to know what qualifications citizens want in their new police chief

Apr. 6—Bellingham officials are using the city’s community-participation website to ask what local residents expect from their new chief of police.

Chief David Doll resigned in January after 40 years with the Police Department and Deputy Chief Flo Simon was named interim chief as a nationwide search began to replace Doll.

“Like so many communities across the nation, we see the years ahead as transformational for law enforcement and public safety,” the city said at its Engage Bellingham website.

At Engage Bellingham is a questionnaire that will poll residents through April 16.

Bellingham’s police chief earns $166,000 a year and is part of the city’s management team, reporting to Mayor Seth Fleetwood.

The police chief will have a budget of $70.4 million for 2021-2022 and will supervise 188.4 “full-time equivalent” employees, including office staff, dispatchers and 122 commissioned officers.

Officers responded to more than 73,000 calls for service in 2020, according to the city.

“Opportunities and challenges for our new police chief will include: developing non-enforcement responses; expanding behavioral health programs; recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce; eliminating structural and institutional racism; increasing equity and access to services; promoting transparency and accountability; and continuing to strengthen the department’s culture of compassion, integrity and professionalism,” the city said at Engage Bellingham.

Simon, who has been deputy chief since 2008, was Bellingham’s second Black officer when she was hired in 1989 after graduating from Western Washington University.

Fleetwood said Simon, who plans to retire later this year, will be a key part of the hiring process for a new chief.