ROANOKE, Va. – The Star City is searching for a new leader for their police department.
This comes after Roanoke City Police Chief Sam Roman was appointed to serve as an Assistant City Manager, and will leave the police force this summer.
Roman has served as Chief of Police in Roanoke for three years and served in law enforcement for nearly 30 years.
He will take on his new role as a third Assistant City Manager come July. This will be the first time Roanoke will have three Assistant City Managers.
According to the city, Roman will be providing leadership for city departments like Public Works and General Services.
“My goal is the same as it has always been. How can I contribute to making the best environment for Roanoke and its citizens which I am one of here in the city,” said Roman.
As for the search for a new police chief, City Manager Bob Cowell is in charge of appointing someone.
“We will use a search firm. We will use one or more community panels, where we will assemble a collection of folks that represent a broad spectrum of our community that will help advise me of the pros and cons and strengths and weaknesses of each of the candidates as they work their way through,” said Cowell.
During his interview with 10 News, Roman gave some insight into what he wants to see in the next police chief.
“I hope that the next police chief obviously will build on some of the foundational things that we have started doing over the last three years and two, bring some better, creative ideas to the police department,” said Roman.
Roman is expected to take on his new role as Assistant City Manager on July 1. If a new police chief is not hired by then, Cowell said the deputy police chief will be selected as interim chief.