9 still in hunt to be Cedar Rapids' next police chief

Nine candidates from an initial field of 35 applicants remain in the hunt to become the city's next police chief.

Nancy Evans, chairwoman of the city's Civil Service Commission, on Friday reported that the commission this week trimmed the field again, to nine candidates from the 19 who had been asked by the commission to answer a series of written questions.

Three of the 19 chose to drop out rather than answer questions, and seven others were dropped from consideration after a review of their answers and their resumes, Evans said.

She said the city's national search firm, the Mercer Group Inc., now will conduct background checks on the nine remaining candidates. The commission is prepared to interview all nine via computer video in early August unless the background checks further reduce the candidate field, Evans said.

She said the nine include internal and external candidates and one woman. Most are from the Midwest, she said.

Four current Cedar Rapids police commanders were among the 19 candidates who were asked to answer questions in writing. They are Capt. Steve O'Konek, currently serving as interim police chief, and three police lieutenants, Joe Clark, Brent Long and Dominic Wibe.

Evans declined to say if all four remain under consideration.

After its August interviews, the commission will rank candidates and forward its candidate list to City Manager Jeff Pomeranz, who hires the police chief with the advice and consent of the City Council. Pomeranz is expected to conduct in-person interviews with finalists. He has said he wants to hire someone by mid-September.

Cedar Rapids is seeking a new chief to fill the vacancy created when Greg Graham left in January to head the Ocala, Fla., Police Department. He had been deputy chief at the Florida department before he came to Cedar Rapids in June 2008, two weeks before the city's record 2008 flood.