BOISE, Idaho — Four months after former Boise Office of Police Accountability Jesus Jara was fired, the city has whittled its list of candidates down to three top picks.
In a news release Friday morning, City of Boise community engagement director Maria Weeg said that during the search, applications from 30 prospective candidates went through internal reviews and initial interviews were conducted with the top five. These three candidates have been selected for a series of panel interviews with internal stakeholders in city government, as well as community groups and local agency partners:
Vic McCraw, who was the Democratic candidate for Ada County Sheriff in 2022, rose to the rank of captain during his career with the Arizona Department of Public Safety. He later led Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), which is the state agency responsible for oversight of all law enforcement certification standards and training.
Mac Muir has spent the past seven years at the Civilian Complaint Review Board in New York City, the largest civilian oversight organization in the country. As a member of that board, he most recently oversaw a team of seven investigators.
Leia Pitcher has worked in civilian oversight of law enforcement for 13 years. She is currently the interim police auditor for the City of Eugene, Oregon. She oversees a staff of five in an office that reviews between 350 and 400 citizen complaints each year. Pitcher is a licensed attorney.
The three candidates will be onsite in late April or early May for a series of panel interviews, followed by an interview with Mayor Lauren McLean, City Council President Holly Woodings, Council President Pro Tem Jimmy Hallyburton and Council Member Patrick Bageant. Those three council members and the mayor oversee the OPA.
According to the city's news release, the panel of "internal stakeholders" will be made up of representatives from various city departments that regularly interact with the OPA. Local agency panelists are being selected from public safety agencies and organizations in the Treasure Valley. The community panel will include representatives of the faith community and those "who work closely with disproportionately impacted residents."
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