The Bryant mayor has narrowed the field of applicants for police chief from about 20 to eight, he said Monday.
Mayor Allen Scott assembled a committee that used a checklist to shrink the applicant pool, ensuring that each candidate has at least eight to 10 years of experience.
Next week, a seven-member panel, which includes the mayor, will further reduce the number of chief candidates to three or four, Scott said.
Those top three to four will interview again, and Scott will then choose the next police chief by the end of April.
"We're looking for a good leader to the city -- somebody that can take the Police Department to the next level," Scott said.
This will be particularly important because Bryant has grown markedly in the past 10 years, and community leaders only expect the growth to continue. Scott said he will need a chief who can plan to grow the Police Department as the city increases in population, while keeping in mind Bryant's budgetary constraints.
Three of the contenders currently work for the Bryant Police Department, including Capt. J.W. Plouch, who is serving as the interim chief.
"Our acting police chief that we've got right now, I think, is exceptional," City Council Member Butch Higginbotham said in a previous interview.
Nick Ramsey, an 18-year veteran with the department, is also one of the final eight interviewees for the position. Ramsey said the next chief will need to be goal-oriented and willing to change with the times, as he said police departments are increasingly focused on taking care of people.
"I grew up in Bryant and that's where I want to stay," Ramsey said.
Candidate Richard Friend, who completed his career with the Arkansas Highway Police, also lives and grew up in Bryant.
"It's a chance to literally, hopefully, leave your hometown better than you found it," Friend said about the position.
Friend has experience with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and said he is prepared to help the department as it continues to grow.
"Bryant's kind of in a position right now where they're a big-little town," Friend said.
He said the position Bryant is in means the police chief will need to strike a balance of protecting Bryant's residents while keeping from over-policing the town.
Kevin Webb, with the Arkansas State Police, is also interviewing for the position. He's from the Saline County area and said he's always felt led to serve the community. Webb has 31 years of experience with law enforcement and familiarity with managing a budget and supervising a staff.
Webb said he thinks the Bryant police force has a lot of potential and with the right leadership could be a leader in the state.
The applicants, listed with current or last employer, are:
• Richard Friend, U.S. Army recruiter.
• Chadwick Henson, Trumann Police Department.
• Carl Minden, Pulaski County sheriff's office.
• Jenceson Payte, Bryant Police Department.
• J.W. Plouch, Bryant Police Department.
• Danna Powell, England Police Department.
• Nick Ramsey, Bryant Police Department.
• Kevin Webb, Arkansas State Police.
Metro on 04/02/2019