Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee announced Thursday morning the selection of James Beere to be the next chief of the Oakland Police Department.

James Beere is a 29-year veteran of the Oakland Police Department, and he was selected following a "very thoughtful" and "comprehensive search" process, "rooted in community engagement," that was led by the Oakland Police Commission and retired Chief Daniel Hahn, Mayor Lee said. Beere has served as interim chief since December, following the October departure announcement by former Chief Floyd Mitchell, who left after just 17 months on the job to take a job in nearby Fremont.

At a morning news conference (seen below), Lee said, "Selecting a police chief is among the most important responsibilities of a mayor... Oakland has experienced too much turnover in police leadership over the years, and our city deserves stability."

Lee added, "I personally conducted extensive interviews, and if you all know me, I did my own due diligence. I asked every finalist not only what they had accomplished, but how they would sustain constitutional policing, strengthen civilian oversight, recruit and retain outstanding, qualified and dedicated officers... strengthen community engagement, and ensure that every single neighborhood receives the same commitment to safety and service."

Lee said the city had many highly qualified applicants who saw through "any negative rhetoric about Oakland." And she said she was focused on selecting a chief who would help the city finally exit federal oversight that has been ongoing for over 20 years.

And, Mayor Lee said that Beere fit the bill, and as an Oakland resident and father, he shares "a personal commitment to our city's future."

Beere praised Lee for having "broken down silos" in the city, and he said, "I can't believe I've been given this honor to continue serving this great city."

In a statement, Beere said, "I want to thank Mayor Lee for her leadership in bringing departments together to better serve the community and implement a collaborative approach for a unified response to help drive down crime. By prioritizing successful initiatives like Ceasefire, building up the Police Department staffing, and reviving the Cadet Program, the Mayor has both enhanced public safety and strengthened community trust."

Beere comes to the job as the 11th police chief or interim chief of the OPD since 2009, taking the helm of a department marred multiple times by scandals that eroded the public trust.

And, following the infamous Riders scandal that unfolded in 2000, the OPD was placed under federal oversight by court mandate in 2003. That oversight has repeatedly been renewed by the court ever since, with federal monitor Robert Warshaw indicated only six weeks ago that the department may finally have accomplished all 51 court-ordered reforms.

Beere has served as sergeant in the department's intelligence unit after years working in vice and narcotics, and unlike former Chief Mitchell, he is a longtime resident of Oakland.

Previously: Oakland Police Department May Soon Be Free of Federal Oversight For First Time In Two Decades

Top image via Mayor Barbara Lee/Facebook