Search Narrows to 3 Top Cop Candidates

After a more than five-month search for a new San Francisco police chief, the names are in.

The Police Commission on Wednesday night unanimously nominated three applicants from which Mayor Gavin Newsom will choose a new chief to replace outgoing Chief Heather Fong, who announced her retirement in December.

But for those prying eyes, Commission President Theresa Sparks  said the applicants' names will remain confidential.

"The names are to be disclosed, probably never," said Sparks after a 30-minute, closed-session nomination huddle among the Commission.

Sparks said the names will be forwarded to Newsom Thursday morning for his consideration.
  Should Newsom reject all three applicants, the process would begin anew with the Commission, but Sparks tonight seemed confident that would not happen.

"My perception ... is that that process will move very quickly, once the mayor has the names," she said.

Before Wednesday's meeting, Sparks said the applicants were to be chosen from several candidates who had been screened by a national search firm. They included both internal San Francisco Police Department applicants  and external candidates, she said.

She would not say whether those chosen tonight by the Commission included both internal and external candidates.

Copyright Bay City News

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