ARLINGTON, Texas — On Thursday night, the five finalists for the City of Arlington's police chief position sat on stage at a socially-distant event at Esports Stadium Arlington and answered questions from residents.
Moderator Jay Warren said around 20 questions were received prior to the event, and many more questions were submitted as the conversation went on. Topics included police reform, accountability, community relations and more.
There are three internal candidates and two external candidates.
About the finalists:
Jaime Ayala has been with Arlington Police Department for 31 years, currently an assistant chief of the Support Operations Bureau. He oversees four policing divisions, including central investigations, community support, technical services and operations support.
Alexander Jones has served on the Baltimore County Police Department for 25 years, currently ranking as a colonel. He leads a Community Relations Bureau, which means he oversees community resources, wellness, youth, and employment sections.
Kevin Kolbye has 37 years of experience, currently an assistant chief with the Arlington Police Department. He joined APD in 2015. He also served on the Dallas Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He oversees intelligence and criminal investigations, SWAT, crime scene and homeland security divisions.
Jason Lando has 21 years of experience with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, currently ranked as a commander. He has served in patrol, undercover narcotics, SWAT and crisis negotiation. He is also a procedural justice trainer.
Tarrick McGuire has been with the Arlington Police Department for 17 years, currently a deputy chief. He served as a law enforcement fellow with the International Association of Chief of Police, contributing to public safety research and reform.
The five finalists were selected out of 74 applications. In August, it was narrowed to a pool of 24 candidates. In September, 10 candidates remained.
