BOISE, Idaho — This story first appeared in the Idaho Press.
The city of Boise offered an update Thursday as to what happened with the three finalists for the Office of Police Accountability director position.
In April, the city named three finalists to be the next Office of Police Accountability (OPA) director: Vic McCraw, who ran for Ada County sheriff last year; Mac Muir, who deals with civilian complaints in New York City; and Leia Pitcher, the interim police auditor in Eugene, Oregon.
The Idaho Press reported on Wednesday that the city will not move forward with any of them.
On Thursday, city spokesperson Maria Weeg confirmed that Boise offered the job to Pitcher. But she declined it. Weeg previously told the Idaho Press the next steps in the hiring process are do a “more targeted, localized search.”
“They were excited about the woman from Eugene,” Weeg said on Thursday. “It's such a specialized position to recruit for.”
Boise's Office of Police Accountability is responsible for reviewing police conduct, investigations and retaining investigators for critical incidents, among other things.
In an email, Pitcher said she had nothing but positive things to say.
“I have nothing but positive things to say about the City of Boise and my experience during the application process,” Pitcher said. “The process was efficient and well-run, and everyone I met was welcoming and professional.”
Pitcher did not say why she turned down the job.
However, McCraw said in a statement the experience was disappointing. He said he had not heard from the city of Boise about his status since the last day of interviews on May 2 and instead heard from the press that the city wasn’t moving forward with the three finalists.
The city of Boise did not immediately return a request for comment.
McCraw also said he was confused about the “localized” part of the search Weeg referenced, since he said he has lived in Boise for nine years. He also said he had personally filed complaints against officers in Arizona, where he lived before moving to Boise.
“As a Black male, I have firsthand experience of being contacted, stopped, and detained by police for “fitting the description,” and having to explain to my young son why the off-duty officer working security at the department store was following us around,” McCraw wrote. “As a result, I have both a professional and personal understanding of every aspect of the police accountability process, from every point of view.”
McCraw spent 29 years with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, serving as a trooper, paramedic, sergeant, lieutenant and captain, he said in his statement.
On the other hand, one of the finalists has a new job.
On Thursday, the Oakland Police Commission announced that Muir will serve as Executive Director of the Community Police Review Agency, according to a press release. An email requesting comment from Muir was not returned.
“Independent civilian oversight is a vital component of city government. I’m honored to serve the Oakland Police Commission’s mission to ensure constitutional policing and reflect the needs of this brilliant community,” Muir said in the release.
Nicole Schafer has been serving as the interim OPA director since January and will continue to serve in that role during the ongoing search.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
