Cleveland officials have whittled down a list of 36 prospective applicants for chief of police to just 10, as the city works to find a leader for the embattled local police force, the former leaders of which have been dethroned amid sex scandals.
Red Bank Police Chief Tim Christol, Chattanooga Police Capt. Nathan Vaughn and Chattanooga State campus police Chief Stephanie Hill are among the 10 finalists for the open Cleveland Police Department's top position.
The Police Chief Interview Committee selected by Janice Casteel, Cleveland's city manager, determined that just 10 of the candidates met the criteria established for the Cleveland Chief of Police.
One applicant who made the cut was Mark Gibson, an 18-year Cleveland Police Department veteran who has been serving as interim chief since March after Dennis Maddux, who only served as chief for one day, was demoted following a highly publicized sex scandal involving another officer's wife. Maddux resigned from the department in May in the wake of an internal investigation of the matter.
The committee will take a closer look at each of the applicants, and will run preliminary background checks on each candidate next week.
Casteel initially said she hoped to narrow the list down to "three to five" candidates by Friday, and consultant Larry Wallace said he hoped the new police chief would be in place not by Oct. 1.
The interview panel consists of Casteel, Wallace, Lee University President Paul Conn and Robert Bradney, board chairman of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, with the assistance of Jeff Davis, the city's human resources director.
While most of the original 36 applicants hailed from Tennessee, a quarter of the applicants originate from Missouri, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and Maryland. One applicant works with the United Nations in Somalia.
10 candidates for Cleveland Chief of Police
Bledsoe, Michael Vonore, Tenn. Administrative Captain of Monroe County Sheriff's Office Served as police chief for Vonore, Tenn. from 2003 to 2007 Brooks, Jessie Kingston, Tenn. Tennessee Highway Patrol Captain Has served with THP since 1981, attaining rank of captain in 2013 Christol, Tim Hixson, Tenn. Red Bank Police Chief Served with Knox County Sheriff's Office from 1979 to 2009 Gibson, Mark Cleveland, Tenn. Interim Chief for Cleveland Police Department Has served with department since 1997 Hamilton, Craig Cleveland, Tenn. University of Tennessee of Chattanooga Police Chief Served with Bradley County Sheriff's Office from 1990 to 2005 Heavner, Anthony Jackson, Tenn. Captain with Madison County Sheriff's Office Has served with department since 1989 Hill, Stephanie Newport, Tenn. Chattanooga State Community College Police Chief Has served 19 years in law enforcement and private security Moates, Craig Eagleville, Tenn. Current Chief of Police, McKenzie Police Department Served as police chief for Kotzebue Police Department, Alaska from 2010 to 2012 Parker, Thomas Franklin, Tenn. Captain with Williamson County Sheriff's Office Has served the department since 1978 Vaughn, Nathan Chattanooga Captain with Chattanooga Police Department Has served the department since 1990