In an unusual “public job interview,” four candidates for police chief in Bellevue, Wash., addressed such things as the lessons of Ferguson, Mo., and the importance of diversifying the department during an appearance before the local media Thursday. The forum was part of a two-day community introduction of the candidates in Bellevue, where the population is about 40 percent minority but the police force is more than 80 percent white.
The candidates are Stephen Mylett, police chief in Southlake, Texas; Drew Tracy, a former assistant chief in Montgomery County, Md.; Chuck Miiller, assistant chief in Phoenix, and Gary Yamashiroya, a police commander in Chicago. Bellevue City Manager Brad Miyake said he will likely narrow the finalists to one or two next week and then conduct more extensive background checks, as well as possibly make visits to the finalists' police departments.