City Manager all ears on police chief search

By Aaron Curtis | Lowell Sun

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Meeting attendee Bobby Tugbiyele outlined the importance of a superintendent holding a strong relationship with the community.

“If we only see our superintendent once a year, that’s not a relationship,” Tugbiyele said. “If you see that superintendent all the time, but you don’t trust that person, that’s not a relationship. If you see the superintendent all the time, and you trust them, but you feel they don’t value what you have to say — as a citizen, as a woman, as a person of color, as a homeless person, as a young person — then that’s not a relationship.

“We need to think about a relationship and what that really means and how do we build that within our police department, within our leaders and our community,” he added.

Donoghue, who has occupied the city manager seat since April, said she has dedicated a tremendous amount of time to the superintendent search.

The city manager pointed out applications for the position can be made by those outside the department, as well as within. She added she is unaware of any of the applicants to date.

“That’s more by design because I don’t want it to be about lobbying for this one or that one,” Donoghue said. “I’m sure there’ll be that, but I want it less about individuals and more about the characteristics, qualities and policies.”

Once the position posting is closed, Donoghue expects to narrow the field to a group of finalists, followed by introducing an interview team to the process.

Holding a second meeting of the general public was discussed as a possibility Wednesday night.