Following a three month nationwide search, Major Delrish L. Moss of the Miami, Florida Police Department, has been named the new Police Chief for the Ferguson, Mo. Police Department.
Moss, currently supervises the Miami Police Department’s Public Information/Community Relations sections.
The City of Ferguson received more than 54 applications from candidates across the United States. City Manager De’Carlon Seewood, Assistant City Manager Matt Unrein and Human Resources Manager, Patrick Young narrowed the applications from 54 to 16, based on the following criteria – law enforcement experience, community engagement and professional accomplishments.
A 15-page Police Chief Questionnaire was then sent to the final 16 candidates on January 25, with a deadline to respond by February 8. The top six candidates were chosen based on their responses to the questionnaire.
Moss was among the six candidates that were invited to interview locally with several panels that consisted of Ferguson residents, Ferguson City Council members, law enforcement executives and criminal justice experts. The panels narrowed the candidate pool from six to four. City Manager De’Carlon Seewood made the final decision.
“Major Moss exemplifies the type of experience in law enforcement that we believe will enhance the many new programs within the Ferguson Police Department,” said City Manager De’Carlon Seewood. “Our officers have worked extremely hard to implement community policing and community engagement in their daily practices. Major Moss is the right man for the job to continue those initiatives.”
During the past 32 years as Miami law enforcement officer, Moss has worked as a patrol officer, carried out a number of undercover assignments, and investigated countless violent crimes and death related incidents as a member of that department’s elite Homicide Unit.
In May of 2008, he was promoted to Senior Executive Assistant to the Chief of Police making Moss, the City of Miami Police Department’s Commander of Public Information and a main advisor to the chief of police.
“This has been a long and strenuous process, but we believe Major Moss is the right choice,” said Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III. “We understand the past 18 months have not been easy for everyone, but the City is now moving forward and we are excited to have Mr. Moss lead our police department.”
Moss is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, the NAACP, and Tender Essence Incorporated, whose mission is to combat issues such as teen pregnancy, the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and violence. Moss is the current President of the Miami Police Athletic League, a not-for-profit organization that pairs police officers with community children and builds relationships through sports and academic activities.