TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The City of Topeka has announced four finalists for Police Chief.

According to the Topeka Police Department, W. Simon Happer, Russ Klumpp, Jose Salcido and Chris Vallejo are the finalists for Topeka Police Chief.

Hopper currently serves as Deputy Chief of Police for the Overland Park Police Department in Overland Park, Kansas. Lt. Col. Happer has 34 years of law enforcement experience and 19 years of senior police leadership, including serving as Acting Chief of Police for the Overland Park Police Department. Happer received his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas. Happer worked with his command staff to develop new strategies to address staffing issues, including several proposals that focus on retaining current employees, recruiting candidates from colleges, the military and high schools, and our commitment to the 30 to campaign 30. Happer says he hopes to reduce crime rates, increase traffic safety and improve morale while building trust with a diverse population hungry for transparency and collaboration.

Klumpp he currently serves as a major for the Topeka Police Department. Klumpp has 19 years of management and executive experience. He works in the Criminal Investigations and Field Operations units. Klumpp was appointed by Governor Laura Kelly as a member of the Kansas 988 committee to help reduce suicide rates. He received his Ph.D. in social psychology from Walden University. Klumpp says he plans to emphasize strong community relations, a commitment to meaningful and open communication, police department accountability, improved care and procedural integrity for employees, advances in police service delivery and increased officer morale.

Salcido has more than 27 years of law enforcement experience, most recently as director of campus security at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. Salcido holds a Masters of Military Arts and Sciences from the United States Air Force Academy and a certification in human resources. Salcido served in the United States Air Force for 25 years before retiring as a major. During his time with the Wichita Police Department (WPD), he led a division of investigators overseeing all criminal investigations and helped develop various crime prevention strategies in partnership with the community.

Vallejo has 30 years of law enforcement experience, having held various roles during his tenure with the Austin Texas Police Department (APD). Vallejo holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Texas State University. During his time as APD training commander, Vallejo helped develop inclusive and diverse training programs and implemented recruiting strategies that resulted in the most diverse cadet class in APD history. He also pioneered the creation of a Chief Data Officer position aimed at integrating community initiatives to foster trust and collaboration between APD, elected officials and the community. Vallejo currently serves as an executive member of the National Police Institute, regularly collaborating with police chiefs across the country and advising on strategies to address evolving challenges in U.S. law enforcement.

The city will host a public meet and greet on Wednesday, November 6 at the Topeka Hotel, located at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd, to allow residents to meet the finalists.

The event will be held from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. and will give community members a chance to interact with the candidates and ask questions.

Following the public event, a special Governing Body meeting will be held on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. to discuss police chief candidates to select the next leader of the Topeka Police Department. They will meet in executive session.

Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.