Meet the two finalists for the Columbus Police Chief job

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — The two finalists for the Columbus Police Chief position are ready to meet the public.

But first, they sat down with NBC4’s Darlene Hill for exclusive interviews, which you can watch below.

Thomas Qunilan

Quinlan, the current interim Chief of Police for Columbus, started his career in law enforcement as an officer in Madison Township.

He joined the Columbus Division of Police in 1989 and has served in a variety of roles. In 2013, he was named Deputy Chief of the Patrol North Sub Division. He was named interim chief after Kim Jacobs’ retirement.

He graduated from The Ohio State University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences in Criminal Justice. In 2001, he earned a Master in Science in Human Resource Administration from Central Michigan University. Quinlan is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy Class 249 and the Police Executive Leadership Institute provided by the Major Cities Chief’s Association.

Quinlan believes it’s important for the next chief of police to work closely with the community.

“That’s really what I enjoy the most, interacting with people and finding ways to make a safe neighborhood for everyone,” he said.

Perry Tarrant

Tarrant is a former assistant chief of police with the Seattle Police Department. He began his law enforcement career in 1980 with the Tucson Police Department. He rose to the rank of Captain, leading the Investigation Division, Specialized Response Division and South Patrol Division.

Tarrant was named an Assistant Chief of Police in Seattle in 2015 as part of a shakeup in that department’s leadership. He retired from that position in September of 2018.

Tarrant is also a firm believer in fostering a positive relationship between officers and the community.

“It’s pretty difficult to have change or make change occur within an organization without community support,” he said. “So this won’t be a Perry effort; this will be a community effort to diversify Columbus.”

A public forum to meet the two candidates will be held on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 6 p.m. at East High School, 1500 E. Broad St.