(FAIRHOPE, Ala.) Fairhope city officials say they are getting closer to naming a police chief. Fairhope has been looking for a replacement since September. That's when Chief Bill Press and Assistant Chief Terry Sanders announced they were resigning.
There are four finalists so far and there's a possibility a fifth person will be added to the list. Among the four is current Interim Chief Joe Pettis, Joe Bettner a former U.S. Customs agent, Stan Stabler a former Daphne police officer and ABI investigator and Chickasaw Police Chief Mike Reynolds.
The position was advertised nationwide. However, it seems all the finalists so far are local law enforcement from either Mobile or Baldwin County.
All five council members had a say on who would make the final list.
"I know there were several people that were on council members lists that were from outside the area, but they were not on some lists for whatever reason, and that council member that may have selected that person couldn't convince other council members to put them on their list," said Council President Jack Burrell.
The plan is for the finalists to be interviewed by the Fairhope City Council sometime during the last week of January.
Interviews will be conducted in a public setting. The hope is to have a new chief in place by next month.
