DAYTON, Ohio — After a six-month search, the City of Dayton has found its next police chief.
On Friday, City Manager Shelley Dickstein announced that she would appoint Kamran Afzal as the new chief of police for the Dayton Police Department.
What You Need To Know
- Kamran Afzal will take over as Dayton's police chief on Dec. 20
- Afzal has previously been police chief in Hopewell, Va. and Durango, Colo.
- Matt Carper, who served as interim chief, will stay on as an assistant chief
- A selection oversight committee reviewed a list of national candidates before deciding on Afzal
Afzal has almost 30 years of experience in law enforcement operations and executive leadership. Most recently, he was the police chief in Hopewell, Va.
Afzal will begin his service with DPD on Dec. 20. The City of Dayton plans to hold a welcome reception to introduce the community to Afzal and his wife, Mona.
“Over the last six months, this community has engaged in an extensive recruitment process, which provided me with a diverse spectrum of perspectives and invaluable input necessary for me to select the best police chief for our city,” Dickstein said in a statement. “Throughout the process, Kamran consistently displayed leadership qualities that will serve our police department and community well."
Dickstein praised Afzal for his record of "leading various police operational units in reducing crime." She said he had demonstrated a commitment to train and develop the next generation of police leaders.
“I am humbled beyond words and privileged to be given the honor of leading a dynamic department and continue to build upon the Dayton Police Department's legacy,” Afzal said.
The selection process
The search for a new police chief started shortly after Richard Biehl announced plans to retire. He served as chief of DPD for 13 years. Since Biehl's retirement this summer, Matt Carper has held the position of interim chief.
Dayton conducted a nationwide search to identify candidates. The process included the creation of a selection oversight committee and opportunities for residents and stakeholders to interview potential candidates.
In September, the city announced that Afzal and Carper were two of four finalists.
Dickstein said Carper would stay on as deputy director and assistant chief. Assistant Chief Eric Henderson plans to stay on as well.
The job ahead for Afzal
In Dayton, Afzal will lead a department of 368 sworn officers and 39 civilian employees. He will also be in charge of managing DPD's annual budget. The most recent budget was $57 million.
One of his most significant duties will be to continue to work with the community on local police reform.
Following the death of George Floyd and a national movement for changes in law enforcement, the City of Dayton committed to evaluating how it policies the community.
From June 2020 to April 2021, working groups made up of city leaders and the community reviewed various aspects of law enforcement. They looked at police oversight, training, departmental use of force policies and internal recruitment and promotion standards. They also examined ways to improve community engagement.
The group came up with more than 140 recommendations. The department has implemented some of those recommendations. Others are partially implemented or still under review.
"An important outcome of our police reform process was robust community involvement in the selection of our new chief, and I feel certain that the community’s voice was heard," said Mayor Nan Whaley (D). "I look forward to seeing Chief Afzal carry out the long-term implementation of our police reform process and build on the work that has already been done.”
Background
Born in Karachi, Pakistan, Afzal emigrated to the United States in 1982 and grew up in Northern Virginia, according to WTVR.
Afzal attended George Mason University and completed a degree in economics, hoping to become a banker. He went on to earn a Master of Public Administration, with a concentration in criminal justice, from Troy University in Alabama.
In 1991, Afzal began his law enforcement career with the U.S. Capitol Police. He moved on to the Arlington County (Virginia) Police Department in 1993. There, he rose from a patrol officer to a member of the command staff.
Afzal served as chief of the Durango Police Department in Colorado from April 2017 to December 2018 before moving back to Virginia to lead the department in Hopewell.
He attended the Senior Management Institute for Police, the FBI National Academy and the Professional Executive Leadership School. He's also a Certified Public Manager.