Joseph Sullivan has been appointed by the City of Wichita to serve as the next Chief of Police. He succeeds Gordon Ramsay who resigned in December of 2021, citing personal reasons..

Sullivan, a  Philadelphia police department veteran with more than 25 years of law enforcement and management experience, was the clear choice  of community members interviewed following the public forum that allowed residents to question the two finalists for the position.

 As Deputy Commissioner of Patrol Operations in the Philadelphia Police Department, he oversaw a force of 4,698 sworn officers and civilian personnel and was responsible for the majority of the department’s $750 million annual budget.

Sullivan works currently in business development at Lawmen Supply Company and as President of Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation in Philadelphia.

“Joe Sullivan has a proven ability to successfully lead and manage a world-class police department. I have every confidence that he is the right person at the right time to take on the challenging task of ensuring Wichita residents have trust in the integrity and transparency of our police department,” said City Manager Robert Layton. “His experience in patrol leadership will help us as we work to enhance patrol operations. He joins us at a crucial time for the Wichita Police Department and will help guide us through a period of change. I look forward to welcoming him to Wichita.”

Chief Sullivan is tasked with enhancing the recruitment, training and mentoring of staff and focusing on data-driven policing. He also plans on strengthening community policing and increasing citizen engagement with the department.

Sullivan’s salary will be $210,000 annually and he begins in early December. He will manage a $108 million budget and supervise more than 900 employees in the state’s largest police department.

The search process, led by Public Sector Search & Consulting, vetted 19 candidates for the position, including both internal and external candidates.

The Wichita Police Chief position was filled by Interim Lem Moore until last month when he retired and Troy Livingston became the new Interim Chief. He will continue in that position until December and will assist with the transition.