Letter: NAACP President On Medford Police Chief Search

MEDFORD, MA – The following letter was sent to Mayor Stephanie M. Burke and Patch by NAACP Mystic Valley Area Branch President Zane Crute.

Dear Mayor Burke:
We are writing you to request that the process for hiring a new Chief of Police in Medford be as open,
transparent and as wide-ranging as the search for the new Superintendent of Schools that was completed
earlier this year.

The City of Medford set an excellent precedent earlier this year in its search for the new Superintendent of
Schools by creating a transparent search process that cast a wide net for qualified candidates and the
result was an excellent pool of talented leaders that led to the hiring of a highly qualified and respected
candidate by the City of Medford. Had the search for a new Superintendent of Schools been limited to
Medford-only candidates, the City of Medford would have missed a golden opportunity to find the best
possible future leader for our Schools. The search for a new Chief of Police should be equally as open
and wide-ranging.

As you know, the City of Medford has undergone significant demographic changes in the past few
decades. At present, nearly 25% of Medford’s population belongs to a racial and/or ethnic minority group.
The largest minority groups in Medford are African Americans and Asian Americans, at 6% and 5%,
respectively. Nearly 25% of Medford’s residents were born outside of the United States and about 11%
lack English proficiency, per the 2010 US Census.

It is paramount that the next Chief of Police in Medford holds a demonstrated engagement with the
complicated issues that come with an increasing diverse population. Furthermore, the next Chief of Police
should be willing to build trust with immigrant communities, have experience with community policing and
safe communities policies, be committed to issues around racial justice, ethnic profiling, and diversity in
the police force. Preferably, a candidate will have significant administrative experience and chief-like
experience in other communities.

The NAACP does not believe that the search for the next Chief of Police should be limited to the existing
Police Department. Such a limited pool of candidates greatly limits the number of qualified candidates. We
respectfully request that the City of Medford commit to an open and transparent search process for its
next Chief of Police. We would welcome a meeting to discuss the issues raised in this letter at your
earliest convenience.

Sincerely,
Zane T Crute

President, Mystic Valley Area Branch NAACP
Assistant Secretary., New England Area Conference NAACP

Editor's Note: The views expressed in this letter are solely those of the sender and do not necessarily reflect those of Patch.

Image via Medford PD