Today, after much consideration, the Board named Captain D. Samuel Dotson, the city’s 34th Chief of Police.
“Chief-designate Dotson is a proven leader: his lifelong commitment to law enforcement and dedication to the Department and citizens of this community has prepared him for the role of Chief of Police,” said Col. Richard Gray, President of the Board of Police Commissioners.
On October 1, 2012, Police Chief Daniel Isom notified the Board of Police Commissioners (“the Board’), of his plans to retire from the Metropolitan Police Department, City of St. Louis (“the Department”), effective January 1, 2013.
The Board immediately began its search for a new Chief of Police. The Board proceeded with three public neighborhood forums and one employee forum to give citizens and employees the opportunity to discuss qualities befitting of the Department’s next Chief of Police. The selection process for Chief of Police began on October 17, 2012, with 11 candidates submitting complete applications.
The Board worked with a consultant, AAIM Employers’ Association, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis to formulate a process by which each candidate’s educational background and experience, management style, judgment, risk-taking abilities, stress management and leadership abilities were evaluated. Candidates were required to submit to a Personality Assessment Test and written examination, as well as a financial background check.
In the final stage of the process, The Board conducted an oral interview with each candidate Chief-designate Dotson has served in numerous divisions within the police department including the Board of Police Commissioners, Office of the Chief, Intelligence, Operational Planning and the Fourth, Seventh and Ninth Police Districts.
Chief-designate Dotson, a 17-year veteran of the Department, had been Operations Director for the City of St. Louis, responsible for the oversight of many of the City’s departments. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Fontbonne College and a Bachelor of Arts in Management from Webster University.
“The Board is confident in our selection of Chief-designate Dotson as the 34th Chief of Police and in his abilities to lead the Department during these times of transition,” Gray said. “Chief-designate Dotson will continue to ensure the City of St. Louis is a safe place to live, work and visit.”
