Sources: Schaaf taps former Spokane police chief to head OPD

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Former Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick has been offered the job as chief of police by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. 

A noon news conference took place Wednesday regarding the decision after about a six-month long search. 

Mayor Schaaf had gone through several police chiefs last summer in an embarrassing revolving door attributed to the ongoing police sex scandal, which entangled many law enforcement agencies when in part, they solicited sex from a minor (who would later turn 18) and who went buy the sex worker name, Celeste Guap. They also gave Guap tips to prostitution stings. 

Another recent scandal that ensnared Oakland Police Department's top brass was the racist text message scandal.

At a particular heated news conference in June, after going through several chiefs. some of which didn't last long at all, including; Paul Figueroa and Ben Fairow and the first who resigned, Sean Whent, Mayor Schaaf said she would not be appointing another interim chief, but instead put the Oakland Police Department under civilian oversight, with the command staff reporting to City Administrator Sabrina Landreth.

During the particularly scathing condemnation of the Oakland Police Department, Schaaf said she wanted to send a clear message that she was committed "to root out what is clearly a toxic, macho culture." She went as far as to liken the department to a fraternity. 

The potential decision to make a female police chief  may come as no surprise. 

Kirkpatrick was hired by the Chicago Police Department in June to spearhead police reform efforts. Before that she served as Chief Deputy at the sheriff's department in King County, Washington where she retired in 2014. 

She previously served five years as chief of the Spokane, Washington police department. 

An earlier version of this story stated Sean Whent was fired. It has been corrected to say he resigned.