Willmar City Council authorizes RFPs for police chief search after split debate

The Willmar City Council voted 4-3 to authorize staff to solicit proposals from executive recruiting firms to lead the search for a new police chief after Police Chief Felt submitted his retirement notice effective Oct. 18. The motion was moved by Council Member Justin and seconded by Audrey; the tally was Davis (Aye), Shoulders (No), Butterfield (No), O'Brien (No), Osk (Aye), Nelson (Aye) and Mayor Reese cast the deciding vote in favor.

Chief Felt told the council the police commission recently reviewed the job description and that "we have 5 people that fit the qualifications underneath that that they could qualify for," while warning that outside hires have in the past been disruptive to department continuity. Leslie, a city staff member, told the council the short timeline for the vacancy and staff’s preference for outside assistance to provide recruitment expertise, broader reach, confidentiality and objectivity.

The debate centered on whether to prioritize internal promotion or conduct an open search. Council members urging a wide or external search said a third-party firm can reduce conflicts of interest and reach candidates beyond local networks. Council members urging an internal-first approach said promoting from within reduces disruption, preserves institutional knowledge and can be less costly. Concerns about cost were raised several times; staff emphasized that the current motion would only authorize soliciting proposals and that the council would later review costs and select or decline proposals.

Leslie described how an internally run process could still be posted externally and include anonymous scoring and third-party background checks, and Chief Felt agreed that several internal officers could meet minimum qualifications but stopped short of recommending the final hiring approach.

With the motion approved, staff will solicit and return proposals for council review before selecting a recruiting firm or pursuing other options. A council member asked whether staff could begin recruiting while the solicitation process moved forward; staff replied the city would hold off until proposals were returned.