This week, San Jose begins a series of public hearings to help pinpoint what residents want in a new chief-of-police. The search is expected to take about five months.

There is some debate over whether the city should hire someone from inside or outside the department.

Jeff Moore II, President of the San Jose Silicon Valley NAACP says he hopes the city hires someone from outside the department who is “culturally competent.”

“Someone who understands the different cultures and takes time to really get to know them,” he said.

Former San Jose Police Chief Joseph McNamara agrees. The Research Fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution says San Jose has many qualified candidates within the department, but he thinks city officials should do a nationwide search.

That search is now underway, beginning with a series of community outreach meetings. Current Chief Rob Davis is scheduled to retire is less than two months.