As Connecticut gears up to hire its next chief state's attorney, the commission in charge of the process will—for the first time—include community stakeholders in the recruitment effort.

Those stakeholders, Associate Supreme Court Justice and Criminal Justice Commission Chairman Andrew McDonald said, will play a vital role in giving their input on what qualities they'd like to see in the next chief state's attorney.

Kevin Kane has announced he is stepping down as chief state's attorney after 13 years in the role. His last day is Nov. 1.

"This hasn't been done in 13 years," McDonald said. "We just don't know the level of interest there will be in this position at this point. … You just never know who will throw their hat in the ring."

The commission, which will interview candidates in the near future, held its first meeting Wednesday on how to proceed. All seven members, McDonald said, agreed that an open and transparent process with stakeholders at the table is the first step.

"Those stakeholders could be the police chiefs association, it could be the domestic violence crisis center, the ACLU, the NAACP, or Mothers Against Drunk Driving," McDonald told the Connecticut Law Tribune Tuesday. "We will be putting a wide net out there to bring in all groups that regularly interact with that office."

Tammy Lanier, former state criminal justice chairwoman for the state's NAACP and current first vice president of the New London branch, said Tuesday the organization has been pushing for input in the process for more than a year. She said the group plans on addressing concerns, including hate crimes and racial profiling. In addition, she said, the next chief state's attorney must visit constituents throughout the state to understand how to serve them better.

"That person needs to go to community forums and events and speak to the public," Lanier said. "It's important, if you are going to change the narrative and build relationships, that the chief state's attorney come out and engage with the public. If we are taking about true reform, there needs to be that interaction."

For example, Lanier said, "We'd like the new chief state's attorney to hear firsthand from the victim of a racially motivated attack. We'd like the chief state's attorney to see that person, face-to-face. He or she will walk away being more informed about such a racially biased incident."