City Manager Milton Dohoney announced on Sept. 13 that Jeffrey Blackwell, the current deputy chief of the Columbus Division of Police, is being appointed to Cincinnati’s top police job.
The appointment ends a months-long process as the city searched for a replacement for former Police Chief James Craig, who left in June to take the top police job in his hometown of Detroit.
Blackwell was picked over three other finalists: Paul Humphries, who’s been acting Cincinnati Police chief since Craig left; Michael Dvorak, deputy chief of the Mesa, Ariz., Police Department; and Jerry Speziale, deputy superintendent of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police.
In a statement, the city touted Blackwell’s accomplishments in Columbus: Blackwell is a 26-year veteran of the police force; he was commended for his outreach to young people; he helped reach out to significant immigrant populations such as Somalians and Latinos; he advanced the use of technology; and he worked with the city and communities to reduce crime and costs.
The appointment was made without much public input, even though some City Council members previously called on Dohoney to open up the process. Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld on Sept. 9 sent a letter to the city manager asking him to hold town hall meetings for the police chief candidates.
The city manager is ultimately in charge of who gets appointed to the city’s top police job.
