Annapolis seeks public input as city recruits its next police chief

The City of Annapolis is seeking public input as it recruits and selects its next police chief, opening a survey and planning three interactive public-engagement sessions for the search.

The city announced the effort on July 6, 2026. Residents, business owners, city employees and other community stakeholders were invited to take part in the survey, with the feedback intended to inform recruitment and selection of the next leader of the Annapolis Police Department.

The search remained active later that month. In a July 24, 2026 newsletter, Mayor Jared Littmann listed both the police-chief job posting and the community survey among current city business.

Survey and sessions are part of the search

The outreach combines a public survey with three planned interactive sessions. The city’s announcement identifies those opportunities as a way to gather views from people connected to Annapolis while the administration moves forward with the recruitment and selection process.

The invitation reaches beyond residents alone. The city specifically included business owners, employees and community stakeholders among those asked to participate, broadening the set of people whose input the city says will inform the search.

Public participation is intended to help shape recruitment and selection, according to the city. The available official materials do not say that survey responses or session feedback will be binding on the mayor or city government.

Why the position matters

Littmann said the next chief will be responsible for shaping public safety, community trust and the department’s future. The appointment will determine the leadership of the Annapolis Police Department, making the search a significant executive decision for city government.

The city has not identified a finalist in the materials provided. It also has not named a search firm, stated how many people have applied, or announced when it expects to make a final appointment.

What is known next

As of the mayor’s July 24 newsletter, the job posting and public survey were still active parts of the city’s work on the search. The city had planned three engagement sessions, but the available information does not establish whether all three had occurred by then.

No survey closing date or job-application deadline was included in the approved materials. For now, the confirmed next stage is continued public participation through the survey and the planned engagement process as Annapolis continues recruitment and selection for its next police chief.