Dianne McDermott has been appointed as the new Director of the Civilian Police Oversight Agency (CPOA) by the Albuquerque City Council. The position was open for a year and had three contenders. The selection process began in January 2023 when the City Council updated the Police Oversight Ordinance. This update required a Contract Compliance officer to create a team to review applications for the CPOA Executive Director position.
Dr. Omotayo Olubiyi, the contract compliance officer for the CPOA, led the selection team. The team, along with the CPOA Board, reviewed 11 candidates and interviewed three finalists: Dianne McDermott, Garrett Schaaf, and Mariana Borunda. The candidates needed to have a master’s degree or professional law degree, management experience, and investigative skills.
Dianne McDermott, the chosen candidate, has a bachelor’s degree in psychology/criminology and a master’s degree in security management. She has worked for the City of Albuquerque since 2006 in roles such as investigator and interim director. Her experience with the city administration is expected to aid her transition to her new role as the CPOA Executive Director.