The search for Berkeley’s new director of police accountability is officially underway, and city leaders and community members are debating what qualities and priorities the next director should have to manage what some community members have called a “strained” accountability system.

During a community discussion in May and a subsequent June 9 City Council meeting, residents, activists and elected officials determined the qualities they hope to see in Berkeley’s next director of police accountability. In the May community meeting, it was announced that feedback gathered through public meetings and anonymous surveys will be used to craft the job announcement — which was posted at the end of May — as well as help design interview questions, guide shortlisting and evaluate candidates.

“When the City Council dismissed the Director of Police Accountability earlier this year, we made a promise to the community that we would ensure continuity of operations for the Office of the Director of Police Accountability (ODPA) and would put in place measures to make sure its important work goes on seamlessly,” said Mayor Adena Ishii in an email.

According to recruitment consultant Lauren Gerson-Greene at City Council’s Monday meeting, the director position remains open through June 24 but has already attracted 44 applicants. Gerson-Greene additionally noted that there are some strong contenders in the mix and that a closed session interview is expected at the end of July.

Community members and activists who attended the May public meeting emphasized the importance of a director who is politically savvy and courageous; who is objective and fair, showing no bias for or against police or community groups; who is deeply grounded in racial justice, specifically Berkeley’s racial and activist history, as well as structural inequities analysis.

Meanwhile, others identified the need for candidates to be technically strong with past experience in law, policy or investigations, with comprehensive knowledge of the Police Accountability Board, or PAB’s charter and procedures.

The conversations revealed differing views about the role itself and whether a “purple unicorn” candidate alone can address longstanding structural issues with the city’s police accountability process, according to founding member of the national Copwatch movement and local activist Andrea Pritchett.

A major challenge community members identified for the role would include rebuilding trust after prior contentious episodes like the dismissal of the previous director, Hansel Aguilar.

Others, such as progressive organizer and District 7 Councilmember candidate Syrak Micael, found that structural issues in the police accountability system must be addressed alongside choosing a strong director.

Micael argued that hiring a qualified and unbiased director of police accountability is important, but noted that the City Council has consistently weakened the PAB and that a new director must be provided “independence, resources, and support to do their job effectively.”

“It’s a deflection tactic to make a big show of getting community input into the qualities that we want in a director of police accountability, when the problem all along has been a lack of city council support for police accountability and an unwillingness on the part of the council to compel the chief to abide by the provisions of that sharp amendment,” Pritchett said. “It is a false narrative to believe that that one person is going to be able to fix what is broken about police accountability in Berkeley.”

Ishii noted that the council priorities for the new director reflected themes expressed by community members.

Many council members at the Monday City Council meeting emphasized the importance of a director who understands the law, especially surrounding documents and reporting laws. Council members also frequently emphasized the ability to be impartial and work collaboratively with various stakeholders.

“If this person can really communicate with the public and build that trust, that’s really the most important part of the job,” said District 5 Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe.