Dan Slaughter named Clearwater Assistant City Manager

Image via City of Clearwater.

Clearwater Police Chief Dan Slaughter will become an Assistant City Manager, City Manager Jennifer Poirrier decided Friday.

Slaughter will serve under Poirrier who was elevated to interim City Manager in January after the high profile firing of former city manager Jon Jennings. Her position was made permanent earlier this month.

“I think he’s a good fit because of his proven leadership as it relates to operational issues, commitment to the community and his strong values that have been proven as it relates to accountability and integrity,” Poirrier told the Tampa Bay Times. “This is a huge opportunity and I’m just really very excited about the selection.”

Slaughter will serve alongside Assistant City Manager Michael Delk.

Slaughter has served as the city’s Police Chief since 2014 where he leads the third-largest law enforcement agency in the county.

Under his leadership, the Clearwater Police Department implemented the Refuse to Lose Program, which connects chronic juvenile offenders and their families to resources and support to reduce recidivism. 

He also serves as the parliamentarian for the the Florida Police Chiefs Association and is a board member for the Police Executive Research Forum, Clearwater for Youth, and Directions for Living. 

Clearwater has two Assistant City Managers. Slaughter will fill the vacancy overseeing public works; solid waste; public utilities; marine and aviation; and gas departments. Delk oversees the city’s community redevelopment agency; economic development and housing; library services; parks and recreation; and planning and development, according to the city’s organizational chart. 

The city of Clearwater is a city manager form of government, which means the city manager serves as the chief executive of the city, rather than the Mayor. 

Slaughter does not yet have a start date or a set salary, according to the Times. That’s because he is still finalizing retirement plans from the police department.