Corliss selects Tarik Khatib as interim Lawrence police chief / LJWorld.com

Archive for Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Corliss selects Tarik Khatib as interim Lawrence police chief

Lawrence Police Captain Tarik Khatib was named interim police chief by City Manager David Corliss on Tuesday, August 10, 2010. Khatib will take over when current chief Ron Olin retires on September 1.

By George Diepenbrock

August 10, 2010, 9:20 a.m. Updated August 10, 2010, 9:55 a.m.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Lawrence Police Captain Tarik Khatib was named interim police chief by City Manager David Corliss on Tuesday, August 10, 2010. Khatib took over when current chief Ron Olin retired on September 1. The city hopes to hire a new police chief by the end of the year.

Interim police chief chosen to replace Ron Olin

Tarik Khatib will serve as interim chief and has expressed interest in taking over the job altogether. Enlarge video

Capt. Tarik Khatib has worked in virtually every division of the Lawrence Police Department, from patrol officer to investigator to supervisor.

And now the 18-year veteran will try out the department’s top post. City Manager David Corliss on Tuesday announced that Khatib, as of Sept. 1, will be interim police chief when longtime chief Ron Olin retires.

“I’m humbled by the opportunity to do that,” said Khatib, who currently leads the department’s community services division. “And I will continue to be a good steward and make sure the continuity of leadership continues until a selection is made.”

Corliss said he selected Khatib after he met with all six of Olin’s captains to gauge their interest in serving as interim chief. He also cited Khatib’s familiarity with many facets of the department.

“One of the characteristics you always look for in a department head is integrity, honesty and great community skills. Capt. Khatib has those,” Corliss said. “I’m sure that he’s going to be able to demonstrate that to not only myself but to the community in the coming weeks and months.”

Khatib, 43, was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and lived there until moving to Lake Forest, Ill., a Chicago suburb, with his parents when he was 11.

He came to Lawrence to attend Kansas University — his mother’s alma mater — and earned a sociology degree in 1991 just before he was hired as a Lawrence police officer.

“I fell in love with the Lawrence community,” Khatib said. “When I was in school I would pursue community involvement in Lawrence, and I view police work as community involvement.”

He recently trained in leadership, executive development and management of organizations at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va. Khatib said he and other officers have learned much from Olin, who started as an officer in 1971 before becoming chief.

“He’s got a saying of always thinking about the community, the department and the officers when you consider matters,” Khatib said.

He said Tuesday that he was interested in being the department’s permanent chief as well.

Corliss said he expects several internal candidates to do well in the selection process, but outside candidates will also be in the mix in the national search.

“The community expects great things from our police department. They expect safety and professionalism. I want to ensure that we find the best candidate,” Corliss said. “I just don’t want to limit it to internal candidates or candidates who might just know about Lawrence regionally, but I would expect interest from across the nation.”

He plans to meet with a number of community members and employees within the department for input. The conversation will include challenges the public wants the department to take on in the future.

“It doesn’t necessarily require somebody from the outside to do that,” Corliss said. “An internal candidate might very well be able to make those changes and to make those improvements, but the main thing we want a new police chief to do is build on the success of Ron Olin’s leadership of the department.”

Corliss hopes to have the new permanent chief in place before the end of the year.

In addition to Khatib, Olin has five other captains. Stephen Zarnowiec, Dan Ward and Paul Fellers are the current patrol captains. Ward recently served a stint in charge of the investigations division.

Mike Pattrick is the current investigations captain. Ray Urbanek, also a former patrol captain, leads the information technology division.

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Did_I_say_that 2 years, 10 months ago

Anybody have a picture of the interim chief? Yes, glad you thought of that. http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2009/feb/25/165296/

Pywacket 2 years, 10 months ago

Hey, wasn't he on The Wire some years back?

artichokeheart 2 years, 10 months ago

Nope it is arabic. http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/meaning_of_Tarik.html. But you made me look so two points for that. Moving by night is kinda cool though.

institches 2 years, 10 months ago

This is a wonderful selection. I have the most respect for Tariq. Congrats Mrs. Corliss for making a very good selection.. the best selection in my humble opinion. And Congratulations to Tariq. Well deserved.

institches 2 years, 10 months ago

Sorry, Make that Mr. Corliss!!!

institches 2 years, 10 months ago

apparently I am having some spelling trouble.. Tarik... gosh. sorry about that.

Did_I_say_that 2 years, 10 months ago

Your posts have me "institches!"

artichokeheart 2 years, 10 months ago

It's the heat coming off the pic the first poster put up.

rez4prez 2 years, 10 months ago

Outstanding selection! Tarik is an amazing person, leader, and law enforcement officer.

BigPrune 2 years, 10 months ago

I was going to say something bad about Obama but I figure I'll leave politics out of this discussion.

cait48 2 years, 10 months ago

Wow! You're not saying anything about the fact that he has a Muslim name? Sure he's not an Al Qaeda plant? What if he wants to build a mosque in Lawrence? /sarcasm (My apologies, Mr. Khatib, for being crass in your name.)

cait48 2 years, 10 months ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

Pywacket 2 years, 10 months ago

You SO did not get the entire point of Cait's post. Massive fail.

Pywacket 2 years, 10 months ago

Haha--looks like I read those comments just in time before they were removed. Amazed that they were removed. Pretty harmless.

For those who missed them, chihawkinkansas kicked some sand at cait48 and missed; she kicked it back right in his eyes. That is all.

BigPrune 2 years, 10 months ago

I guess I should've said something bad about Bush.

cait48 2 years, 10 months ago

Umm, I would say that he is more than qualified to take the job permanently, ChiHawk. He is a handsome, intelligent man popular with the community. Why does your post sound like you are soothing upset people? Mr. Corliss being made aware that he made a popular decision is a good thing and should bode well for Captain Khatib.

artichokeheart 2 years, 10 months ago

I'm thinking about turning myself in.

puddleglum 2 years, 10 months ago

As long as he is handsome...I am very pretty, but many are not. I am constantly surrounded by less than average looking people (you know who you are) and I look forward to the high-ment of pretty people in law enforcement.

cait48 2 years, 10 months ago

I have actually had dealings with Capt. Khatib when a family member was the victim of a crime. He was compassionate, thorough and highly capable in his job. In the end the perp was handed a ten year prison sentence. Congratulations, sir. This is well deserved and I hope the city council decides to make it permanent. You are an asset to this city.

sherlock 2 years, 10 months ago

the permanent police chief should be hired from outside and NOT a member of the current regime!

beatrice 2 years, 10 months ago

Not sure I follow the logic here. What is wrong with advancing through the ranks? It shows others that hard work and dedication can pay off.

Guardian 2 years, 10 months ago

While that is true, hiring from the outside often infuses new ideas into what could become a stagnant entity. There are pros and cons to either side. As long as the best candidate for the job is selected, it really shouldn't matter if the hiring is from the outside or from within.

Did_I_say_that 2 years, 10 months ago

Are cons allowed to be police chiefs?

puddleglum 2 years, 10 months ago

now as long as we can either A: start charging a toll for any vehicles entering douglas county from shawnee county

B. start sending a bill to topeka to reimburse all of the douglas county taxpayers who continually foot the bill for our law enforecement arresting Topeka criminals!

kernal 2 years, 10 months ago

Since the prettiest person in town has brought up the unwanted guests from Shawnee County, every parent in this city should be looking at their kids (especially teens) facebook accounts to see who's listed as a "friend". A lot of kids think it's okay to let everyone on who sends a request. Someone found their teen had some Topeka trash on her Facebook and did not know the persons at all. The gang signs were a big clue. Turned out they, or relatives, had some not so nice resumes.

nekansan 2 years, 10 months ago

Kind of an unfortunate photo. Makes it look like he has massive hands and a Beetlejuice head. Not flattering the way an executive portrait should be.

puddleglum 2 years, 10 months ago

the bigger the hands, the easier it is to crush the crimal element!

trinity 2 years, 10 months ago

i like the hawt cop.

Marcy McGuffie 2 years, 10 months ago

Yes, he is purty.

pagan_idolator 2 years, 10 months ago

I am going to have to agree with you here. Definitely eye candy.

blindrabbit 2 years, 10 months ago

Wins on personality alone compared to the departing one!

ronwell_dobbs 2 years, 10 months ago

That is an awesome selection. I went to college with Tarik and watched him interview, be accepted, and train with the Lawrence PD. He is an outstanding person and always cared for all his friends. Plus, assuming the cop drill hasn't beaten it out of him, had a wicked sense of humor.

Great job, Tarik!

igby 2 years, 10 months ago

I wonder if Lincoln, was part Arab, he sure looks like it in all his old photos.

Food_for_Thought 2 years, 10 months ago

The article says he's from Lebanon, making him Lebanese. Calling him an "Arab" is like calling a Brazilian a "Mexican".

igby 2 years, 10 months ago

In the micro you are correct, however in the macro, the entire region and it's history is Greek, Arab or Persian, bloodlines. Being from any of these countries all have three common root bloodlines.

igby 2 years, 10 months ago

Just as in South America, you have the Olmec, Toltec and Later Mayan, then the Aztec's moved in from the North. But all could be of Asian/northeastern blood lines.

Lincoln, also looked Persian somewhat.

Ralph Reed 2 years, 10 months ago

Chief, congratulations on your appointment! It's great to see someone work their way up through the ranks.

@David Corliss: Well Done.

Kontum1972 2 years, 10 months ago

LoL.....! well i guess we dont have too worry about any terrorist attacks now...since we are in the fold. "The Shield" is in place.....

nekansan 2 years, 10 months ago

Looks like the JW updated the photo. MUCH better.

smitty 2 years, 10 months ago

Surely it is a simple oversight that the links of Olin's retirement are not included for all to view.

Here they are:

Lawrence Police Chief Ron Olin announces retirement Olin served as chief for 23 years

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/aug/03/lawrence-police-chief-ron-olin-retiring-september/#c1327105

and

Retiring Police Chief Olin says he’s leaving department better than he found it

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/aug/04/retiring-police-chief-olin-says-hes-leaving-depart/#c1323796

and an editorial

Police professional Lawrence’s retiring police chief deserves credit for the way he has run his department for the last 23 years.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/aug/05/police-professional/#c1323248

There, fixed it. These comments put the LPD in perspective in spite of the F5 tornado public relations attempt to clean this up while Olin is still chief.

I truly hope that whoever our new chief, problems get fixed. That would also mean cleaning up the city manager's office and the city commission's under the table handling of complaints about the LPD.

For instance, a anon poster under the name of Big Z, ranted for someone to pull their head out of their *** on Lawrence's forum. That person is Stephen Zarnowiec, one of the current captains who voted for to become the interim chief. Many abuse of position problems to correct.

I hope and pray Khatib is up to the departmental cleaning. As of this date, he is defending and spinning Olin's tenure. Well, if that's what he must do to get thru the politics what makes you all think he can clean up the department? OH, that's right, it isn't in need of cleaning or perhaps, better stated, public cleaning.

artichokeheart 2 years, 10 months ago

YOu will be hard pressed to get a entire police department, City administrator and a whole City Council that does not somewhere have corruption; especially in a bedroom community such as Lawrence with so many special interest groups. Olin is leaving smitty : don't worry be happy.

smitty 2 years, 10 months ago

If it were only Olin that we need to get rid of, I would.

Again, arti, you prefer to wait for his dogma to get run over by his karma, so be it.

Personally, I'm waiting for the audit to see how much is skirted in the investigation and improvement of the LPD.

Then there is that investigation of the LPD and Olin from higher outside legal authority that has been quited by handling it as a personnel issue per Amyx.

This is but one small step in Lawrence having an honest, professional and community centered police department. We have witnessed that education, advanced training, etc, does not make for a desirable chief, thanks in part to the under the table dealings of our city manager and commission.

artichokeheart 2 years, 10 months ago

I guess that depends on how one defines desirable. While I have to agree with you on quite a few issues. I at times have to disagree too. Some of the officers you cite as corrupt are some of the one's that have been most helpful to my family.

I won't argue about Olin because he has said and done way to much over the years to lend question to his motives.

We can go tit for tat about this officer or that officer and I could argue some strong points, but overall it's really just a crap shoot. This isn't Dodge City and even if it were you need to remember Miss Kitty was a whore and Marshal Dillon spent time with her.

smitty 2 years, 10 months ago

tit-tat...

Officer Bordman recently stopped a skateboarder who ran into me on the sidewalk On Mass. I didn't complain to the Bordman. He simply had a discussion with the skateboarder. I looked officer Bordman in the eye and thanked him even though the last personal contact I had with him was when he left a threatening note on my vehicle.

However it doesn't change that he was in his super's office being counselled at the time of the dispatch to talk to Sevier, or that he wasn't a problem officer prior to the cover up, or that Bordman hasn't assisted in corrupting a DUI for fellow officer, Polson, etc.

It's in the odds that an officer will do some good while also abusing their powers under cover of authority.

To get an honest, community centered, leader shouldn't be a crap shoot. What we have is much whoring though, public and private.

FWIW, Khatlib's name isn't one that has been flagged in all the corruption that I'm aware. He's either a good LE representative or very good at the political scene. Time will tell.

smitty 2 years, 10 months ago

Did some digging and investigative work on Khalib.

He was a Sgt. when the YH case was first in the news in '05. Khatlib got into a brouhaha with federal attorney Marietta Parker in her office early on before the indictment. He threw a temper fit, demanded his way in questioning and accusing the Neighbors, proclaimed it was his case, etc. Then he got removed from being the Sgt in charge of the investigation of YH.

As we all know, the YH has brought charges of corruption on the LPD to the city about the handling of their case. The city has responded that they can not evaluate this charge until the case is through the courts.

Did his temper fit save him from the close connection to the corruption or did he continue to supervise the investigation of the YH? I'll keep dogging this until I get more info, though.

Khalib is lucky to have skirted this fiasco thru his temper fit in fed attorney Parker's office.

I now don't think he's the man for the job due to complicity in the high profile corruption implications. There is no way that he isn't complicit in our LE department where anyone who gets to be in the rank of captain has done Olin's bidding. I can't prove it yet but I sure can see red flags waving.

BTW, the feds are once again attempting to get an incompetent finding against Ms Neighbors, who has twice passed this scrutiny of incompetence.

Looks to me that if Khatlib was associated with the investigation that this can remain a personnel issue in lieu of the city acting on their own to investigate the charge of corruption by Olin and some of the LPD.

artichokeheart 2 years, 10 months ago

Smitty I know you speak the truth in these matters. At some point though we have to get past it. Have you done anything that you regret? We all have. Making mistakes wether huge or minor is human. It does not a conspiracy make. There are light years between the kiling of G.S. and the YH case.

smitty 2 years, 10 months ago

Only a few years and it is some of the same LE. But thank you all the same for trying to save me from myself.

I do not regret telling the truth about LE and the corrupted political system.

I do regret the naivete of youth where one believes and tries to appease authority figures, religion, parents, slowly evolving educational systems, etc until I learned to think for myself. That naivete is a common developmental process for all of us though.

Lawrencewatchdog 2 years, 10 months ago

I find it rather amusing that (retired) Capt. Dan Affalter was already pimping Tarik Khatib as the interim police chief at Olins retirement press conference before Corliss had made a decision. Simply put, the good ole boys system is running the show at LPD. Hire from outside, bring in new ideas... This department is stagnant and needs a breath of fresh air!!