Update: After offer is declined, Boise continues search for police oversight director
Boise officials will continue their search for a new police oversight director after one of the candidates from the pool of finalists selected in April declined the city’s offer.
The city will continue recruiting and focus on “local” candidates, Mayor Lauren McLean’s spokesperson Maria Weeg told the Idaho Statesman by phone.
The city previously announced the selection of three finalists to direct the Office of Police Accountability, which had an opening after former director Jesus Jara was fired in December. The semi-independent oversight office is tasked with reviewing police use of force and other serious incidents.
The three finalists were Vic McCraw, a former law enforcement officer in Arizona who ran for Ada County sheriff last year; Mac Muir, a former member of the police Civilian Complaint Review Board in New York City; and Leia Pitcher, who conducts police oversight in Eugene, Oregon. Pitcher was offered the job but rejected it, Weeg said.
”They were really excited about Leia and really disappointed when she declined, and opted to continue the search rather than offering the position to one of the other candidates,” Weeg said, referring to the city officials who interviewed candidates.
Oakland, California, announced on Thursday that Muir had been hired to lead police oversight in the Bay Area city.
All three candidates were interviewed by “internal stakeholders, local agency partners and community groups,” according to a previous news release. The candidates were also interviewed by McLean and the three City Council members who help supervise the oversight office: Council President Holli Woodings, Jimmy Hallyburton and Patrick Bageant.
“What we’re doing at this point is working with (Human Resources) and really focusing on a more localized approach to recruitment,” Weeg said by phone. “The hiring committee and the oversight team are taking the appointment pretty seriously and want to make sure we get the right person.”
The city did not hire a recruiter to look for a new director and has been using its internal Human Resources Department to conduct the search, Weeg said.
The oversight office drew criticism from McLean last year when a memorandum became public that was written by Jara, the former director, recommending that former Police Chief Ryan Lee be placed on leave while complaints against him were investigated.
Last fall, McLean said Jara’s recommendation “waded into personnel matters” and was “unauthorized by their ordinance.”
In December, Jara was fired for “randomly” watching thousands of police body camera videos, rather than only watching videos related to specific and serious use of force incidents, according to the city. Jara has since sued the city, arguing he was retaliated against and did not violate the city’s policies.
The three finalists were selected from a pool of 30 prospective candidates, according to the previous news release.
A Boise city prosecutor, Nicole Schafer, has been serving as interim oversight director since Jara was fired. In February, the oversight office’s two remaining investigators resigned. The city has not yet hired replacement investigators.
This story was originally published May 31, 2023 at 3:17 PM.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect that one of the finalists for the Office of Police Accountability director position turned down a job offer. Boise decided to continue its search after Leia Pitcher declined the job.
