Public Input Meeting For The Next Police Chief

DULUTH, Minn.– The city of Duluth hosted a meeting over at the Harrison Community Center this evening to hear feedback from residents on what they would like to see in their next police chief.

Current Chief Mike Tusken is retiring at the end of the month, and the process to hire his replacement is underway. Leaders say they want the community to feel like their voices will be heard in this process.

“We are really here to listen more than anything, and what we hope to do is then bring that into the hiring process. As we are interviewing people, as we are asking questions, we know that that’s being informed by the public,” Mayor Emily Larson, said.

Only a handful of people ended up turning out this evening. For those who want to share their input and couldn’t make it tonight, another meeting will be held next Tuesday at noon at the Portman Community Center.

“We do a lot of community engagement in our office. It’s a big part of who we are, it’s a big value that I bring to the work. I always believe that who’s in the room is meant to be in the room,” Mayor Larson said.

The application for the chief position will be open until August 1st, with the city hoping to have their new hire by the end of the year. The city will also name an interim chief before the end of the month.