Police chief finalists include insider, Oakland deputy chief

The search for a new Greensboro police chief has narrowed to two finalists, and while the city is not publicly providing any details, a source close to the search has told Triad City Beat who’s in the running.

Greensboro Deputy Chief Wayne Scott is one of the finalists. Scott, who joined the department in 1991, was one of three finalists to become the Winston-Salem police chief in 2013 but was not selected. He holds a masters in business management from Liberty University.

Danielle Outlaw, the current deputy police chief in Oakland, Calif., is also a contender. According to her LinkedIn profile, Outlaw served as the interim deputy chief for one year before being officially appointed to the post in May 2014. Her profile also states that she holds an MBA from Pepperdine University (and that she is “connected” to Greensboro City Councilman Jamal Fox). Outlaw is also member of the Criminal Justice Leadership Advisory Board at the University of San Francisco’s School of Management.

She initially served as Oakland’s deputy police chief beginning around the time of major upheaval in the department. In early May 2013, Sean Whent became the city’s third police chief in the span of a week, according to CBS San Francisco. Whent, who is still the chief, formerly served as the deputy chief.

Greensboro has never had a female police chief, save for Anita Holder’s current interim service.

The decision is up to City Manager Jim Westmoreland. City spokesperson Donnie Turlington said the city plans to announce its decision in early March, after a delay due to weather. Scott and Outlaw could not immediately be reached for comment.

UPDATE (March 9 at 4 p.m.): The city of Greensboro confirmed that Outlaw and Scott are the two finalists, and added that it expects to announce the next chief by the end of the week.